Hero Rising
by ThorHammer17
Summary: Eliwood never would have succeeded. Even with the brilliant Mark, they would have failed miserably, if not for the intervention of three youths from a small village in southern Ilia. OC's, pairings possible. Rating subject to change in much later chapters
1. Part I

Hero Rising- The R Button Section

Sillac- Class: Mercenary - 16 years old at the beginning. Was thin and wiry until he took up swordsmanship, now very well built. Sandy brown hair, hazel eyes. About six foot tall. Has a very dedicated attitude.

Aemun- Class: Mage - 17. Very thin body, very pale person. Has a big ego. About five nine. Dark blue eyes, jet black hair. Likes to be sarcastic. He is also very magically talented, so much that sometimes he has the power of foresight. He is one of the few mages who has the ability to cast spells without tomes.

Kara- Class: Thief - Also 16 at the beginning. She is pretty tough, but she has a thin runner's build. She is a natural athlete, very good with her hands. Bright red hair, soft brown eyes. About five eight. She is funny and a little mischievous, but she is sensitive to the desires and needs of others.

Hero Rising

Chapter 1

Across the great continent of Elibe, a glorious peace has followed the defeat of the dragons in the Scouring nearly a thousand years ago. Now, in the midst of this peace, a darkness has begun to rise over the continent. Our story begins in the barren fields of Ilia, nine hundred seventy eight years after the horrible war. An aspiring young swordsman named Sillac, along with his friends Kara and Aemun, find an ancient tome in a cave near their village. They could not have possibly known the journey on which this tome would lead them. Their adventure began one afternoon near the village of Pacallis…

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The barren, arid regions of Ilia have a strange beauty all their own. It is a desolate beauty, but captivating all the same. Rolling hills of dirt, devoid of green and capped with clusters of ice and snow, scatter the panorama around the quiet, peaceful village called Pacallis. Far off in all directions, many gray, imposing mountains stand tall and firm, reminding men of their inability to combat nature. Or rather, most men. Some men possess wills great enough to move mountains, or so the old saying goes.

Ironically, there is no such man in sight. However, a young boy, along with his two friends, jogs steadily up one of these hills, heading south from his village. This boy might one day become such a man, but for now, he is still young and must grow into his potential.

"Sillac, where in the name of Barigan are we?" said Kara, exasperation evident in her voice.

"Don't worry, we're not lost," he replied. "I know where we are. I found a place yesterday when I went on my run. I've never seen it before, so I thought that you guys would like to see it, too. Come on!"

Kara and Aemun ran quickly to catch up to him. After several minutes, Aemun finally said,

"Slow down! Stop!"

Sillac slowed and turned toward Aemun, who was doubled over and gasping for air.

"Why don't you use some of that fabulous magic of yours to give yourself some muscles?" he joked.

Aemun merely rolled his eyes in response and continued to rest.

Finally he said, "Sillac, how much further until we arrive? My legs ache."

Sillac replied, "Not too much longer. It's just through the next pass."

"Very well," sighed Aemun heavily. "I shall continue."

Sillac and Kara ignored his tone as usual and continued their purposeful, adventurous march through the jagged, rocky terrain that was their homeland. As they approached the end of the pass, the sky began to darken.

"It's getting late," said Kara. "We need to hurry; otherwise it will be too dark to get back to the village before nightfall. And personally, I don't exactly relish the idea of trying to trek these mountains at night, and we aren't exactly prepared to make a camp."

Sillac paused for a moment and said, "Well it's no use turning around now. The cave I found is right there. Can you see it? The hills almost completely mask it. I would've missed it, but I decided to fall into the entrance instead."

"Impressive," Aemun replied, without the smile Kara now wore. "Despite all of your shortcomings, you do posses some remarkable tracking skills."

Once again, Sillac ignored Aemun's sarcasm, and slid his way down to the entrance of the cave. Kara and Aemun followed, although Kara made her way much faster. Eventually, Aemun arrived at the entrance. They made their way down into the cave until it became too dark to see.

"It's too dark to go any further," said Sillac. "Let's go back."

"Wait," interrupted Aemun. "Let me try something." Aemun whispered several ancient words, and after a brief moment, a strong light appeared, glowing from his hand.

"Wow!" said Kara. "Who taught you that?"

"No one," Aemun replied. "I devised it myself. Come. This spell expends my energy quickly. It won't last us all the way back to Pacallis."

And so they followed, until they came to a dead end in the cave.

"Well," said Kara, "that sure was interesting. A cave that leads nowhere, twice. I need a rest."

As she leaned back against the wall, a loud shuddering echoed throughout the cave.

"What did you do?" asked Sillac with a sense of urgency in his voice.

"I don't know!" she responded, in an equally confused and urgent tone.

Suddenly, the noise stopped, and where a bare cave wall had been a moment before was a bright marble shrine had appeared, encrusted with precious stones of all kinds and a series of runes across the altar. Eight intricately carved statues guarded the front of the altar. The statues took the form of eight humans.

The eyes of the three companions were instantly drawn to a different part of the sanctuary. Sillac immediately noticed the statue of a fierce looking swordsman with intense and passionate eyes. It seemed to him that the statue was alive. Kara noticed the runes along the edge of the altar. They seemed powerful to her, not only in their elegance and mystique, but also in their strange and crude aura. Aemun, however, was drawn to the small book that appeared on the altar.

"Come," it seemed to say to him. He felt the immense magic emanating from the book, and he was overcome. He began to move, though not by his own will. He felt the edge of the book, and it was bound in a soft fabric. He opened the cover, and ink began to appear on the pages. Most of it was in a language foreign to him, but finally he saw words in a language familiar to him. He felt the magic stronger than ever now. He saw his friends next to him, and Sillac appeared to be shouting, but Aemun heard nothing but an unintelligible whisper.

As he spoke the words, the room seemed to grow dim. A deathly presence almost became tangible. An unexplained wind began to blow, softly at first, and then increasing to a deafening roar. A blinding flash came from the book, and Aemun cried aloud, though no one heard, as a powerful stream of magical energy burst through the room. It felt as though his body and mind were being ripped apart. After several seconds, the winds stopped. The air of death left as suddenly as it had come. The pain in Aemun's body receded. Everything was quiet. At last Sillac spoke.

"What in the world was that? And why did you touch that book! Are you insane?"

He took several angry, shaky breaths.

"Sillac!" responded Kara angrily. "Don't talk like that! Look at him. He's completely shaken."

Kara's face softened.

"What happened, Aemun?" she asked quietly. Aemun sat still and breathed for a few moments before he finally began, speaking in a voice that seemed made of glass.

"When the altar appeared, I saw the book immediately. It is an object of such immense power, that those who have never experienced the depth of magic can hardly fathom. It possessed all of the strongest powers of nature, as well as those of light and darkness. It was impossible to not fall under the sway of its power. It called to me, and I answered with haste."

He stopped, forced himself into a calmer state, and continued.

"When the magic was unleashed, it spoke to me. It showed me the past and the future. I saw the dragons, and the carnage of the past war. I saw twisted bodies and wasted cities. I saw humans and dragons destroy the other in unspeakable ways, both in body and soul. Then, as all hope seemed to be lost, the great heroes of mankind saved our race from extinction. The dragons left this world forever.

Then, I was given a vision of the future. The great war of the past was only a shadow of that which is to come. The world will become a barren wasteland, and the war will have no victor. The entire balance of this world will be upset.

The message was not definite, however. A pure voice spoke that said, "Lycia brings hope." We have a calling. This vision was sent to us. Our future is deeply intertwined with a boy our own age. His name is Eliwood."


	2. Part II

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Two years later…

"Well then," said Kara's mother, "I think that we should eat. This is your last meal with your parents, after all. I can't believe you all have turned sixteen. You have to go off on your own to discover who you are meant to be. We all will miss you. Promise us that you will return."………………….

"Are you joking, Kara? We've only been on the road for two days, and you're worried? We have a job to do. We have to find this Eliwood, whoever he is. You can't be breaking down at random. I know you miss home. I miss our parents too. I miss a warm bed every night. I miss a nice meal every once in a while." He paused briefly, and started again, although this time much less angrily. "You just have too much time to brood, that's what I think. You should train yourself up in something. I have my sword. Aemun has his magic. You need something to practice. You should think about that. Whatever you choose to do, I'll help."

"Thanks, Sillac. That's really nice of you," said Kara. "But I wonder what I should do."

"We can work on that later," he said brightly, feeling that he had accomplished something. "For now, let's get camp set up." As they started to set off, Kara abruptly stopped and stared into the sunset.

"I miss home, Sillac," she said simply. "I know that we have to do this, but we should have at least told our parents."

"You know that couldn't have happened," Sillac said.

"Yes. I know," she replied. "But this could be so dangerous. What would happen if one of us didn't come back? You remember what Aemun said about the, well, dragons, right?" Unable to respond to this question, Sillac turned around and looked at the sky as well.

"We are all going to make it back, dragons or not." said Sillac staunchly. "I promise." At that moment, Aemun's figure appeared from the forest, and he said,

"I have enough firewood and water. I need someone to help me bring the water to the camp." With that, the conversation ended, and they made camp. After a slightly less than satisfying dinner of salted fish and mushrooms, they became tired and fell asleep.

Several hours later, Sillac awoke. He lied on his cot for a while, and thought of the journey that had led him, Kara, and Aemun to this day. He remembered the days they spent in the fields, helping their parents sow and till the fields. They had been inseparable since they were old enough to walk. They shared almost all of their experiences, as there were few children in the village. As such, anything new was exciting. Sillac recalled in particular the day that a traveling swordsman had come to the village to challenge the strongest man in the village. The swordsman made a fool of all of the competition. Sillac knew from that moment that he wished to become a great swordsman. He recalled his first sword, a gift from his late grandfather. His grandfather had made the sword from the strongest wood that he could find. Sillac had spent days practicing and playing and pretending to be a strong soldier, fighting off evil.

Then, Oji had come to the village. He was on the run from some kind of trouble in Sacae, although at the time Sillac was too young to understand that. He was a masterful swordsman, but had offered to do menial labor on the farm of Sillac's parents in exchange for room and board. One day, Oji had seen Sillac practicing with his sword.

"You have promise," he had said, "however; you have no idea what you are doing. Let me show you."

And so Sillac had learned how to use the weapon he now knew so well. He became better every week, practicing as hard as he could, and learning new tricks and techniques and clues about the art of sword fighting from Oji. Then, one day, as suddenly as he had arrived, Oji had departed, leaving only a short note of explanation. He said he had to leave to everyone he cared about, especially those in this village. From that day forward, Sillac was determined to know all he could about his sword. He had practiced even harder, becoming a tough, chiseled, and well-conditioned swordsman, rising above even most all of the other adults in the village.

Then, he, Kara, and Aemun had gone to the cave. He shuddered. He tried to expend as little thought on that topic as possible. He immediately tried to think of more pleasant things, and his mind drifted to the memory of the first time that Aemun had discovered his magical abilities. At first, Sillac recalled, Aemun was considered to be a monstrous creature, until he was brought before the village elders, and they determined that he had magical blood in his veins, and powerful, ancient magic at that. His magical prowess, they had said, was beyond any that they could remember. He had strange powers, powers of sight, and of prophecy. He remembered the radiant look of joy on Aemun's face the first time that he had manipulated water, and made fire out of nothing, and created a wind. He looked back with pride on the first time he and Aemun had fought over which was stronger, magic or the sword. They had dueled, and Sillac had defeated him, although barely. Eventually, they had dueled each other so many times they lost count, and had developed a sense of respect for the field of the other.

However, they had little respect for Kara's "field", for lack of a better word for it. Sillac would often find that belongings of his were missing, never to be seen again, even when he carried them around with him. This, in fact, was a regular occurrence until he had finally caught Kara in the act. From then on, both Sillac and Aemun learned well to keep their possessions secure, as Kara often took incredible pleasure in their furious, and generally fruitless, attempts to recover their stolen items. Life went on, and then, after that life-changing trip two years ago, they knew that they were bound together for a very long time. Aemun had never been the same since. The more Sillac thought about it, the more he thought that something had scarred Aemun permanently that day.

"I suppose if it had been me, I would have changed too," thought Sillac.

After sixteen years of life, Sillac thought about how much he and his friends had grown. Aemun was rapidly turning into a capable mage; casting spells more and more complex every day. He himself was turning into a fierce swordsman, in skill, body, and mind. His arms could wield a sword almost without limit, and he was mentally aware of all of his surroundings. Although he did not fully know it yet, he was becoming a man. His normally smooth face was becoming rough with whiskers. His shoulders had become broad, as had his arms and stance. He began to notice something about Kara, something that hadn't really struck him until very recently. He was still confused as to what this was. Then, a loud crash shook him out of his reverie. He immediately reached for his sword. Aemun had also woken up, and summoned that same small light into existence, which he cradled in his hand. Sillac heard a gruff voice shout,

"Get 'em!"

Immediately, he drew his sword, and moved so that he was back to back with Aemun. Aemun took a deep breath, muttered several words, and said,

"I sense four of them. Can you defeat all of them?"

"Maybe one at a time," Sillac replied, "but I doubt that I can handle all four at once."

Aemun responded by shouting an incantation that Sillac recognized, the incantation for fire, which had been used against him so many times before. A bright light shot through the trees, and exploded near the feet of one of the bandits. Then, one of the other bandits jumped out of the bushes and took an axe in an overhead chop toward Sillac. He easily evaded the attack by jumping to the right, and with a quick plant of his feet, he pivoted, and lunged reflexively from his training straight at the bandit. His sword went right through the bandit's throat, and the bandit stopped, looked at the sword, and immediately died. Sillac went pale, and for him, time seemed to stop. He looked into the eyes of the dead man and saw nothing. He suddenly became very nauseous, and he felt his legs turn to jelly. His head whirled. He had just killed a man. He would have sat there motionless all night, but a high-pitched scream from Kara galvanized him into action. She had finally woken up to the sight of a frightening looking man with a large sword standing over her. She screamed, and moving with inhuman speed, Aemun was behind the man before he new what was happening. Then, with a burst of light, the man was knocked unconscious. The two remaining bandits charged Aemun, one from each side. Aemun suddenly froze. They took him by surprise, and he fell to the ground, unconscious. They turned toward Sillac, and then charged. He raised his sword and spun to the right, placing both of the bandits on his left. He swung at the first bandit, slicing apart his knee. The bandit crumpled to the ground with a yell. Sillac looked around.

"Where is the other bandit?" he thought.

Then, everything went black.


	3. Part III

Chapter 3

Chapter 3

When Aemun opened his eyes, he noticed three things. First, he noticed the light. It was day. Second, he noticed a splitting headache. Finally, he noticed that he was alone. He immediately sat up. He looked around. He reached out with his mind, yet he sensed no one. What had happened? He had been knocked unconscious and then, apparently, the bandits had captured Kara and Sillac.

"No." he thought. "Sillac would not be so easily overtaken by mere bandits. Something must have happened."

Then, he noticed that unlike Kara's sleeping space, Sillac's bags and sword had disappeared. He searched the area for tracks, and he found some leading away from the campsite, toward the mountains that divided Ilia and Sacae. Aemun packed up the camp, grabbed what he could carry, and set off at a rapid pace.

Meanwhile, Kara awoke bound and gagged, with her head towards the ground. With some effort, she turned toward the sky and examined her surroundings. She saw immediately the mountains to her left. Then, looking to her right, she saw her captor, one of the bandits from the previous night. She shuddered.

"What a nightmare. I think I'll just go back to sleep."

And so she did.

Sillac, on the other hand was running almost at his top speed, hacking his way through brush with his sword when necessary. The man wasn't hard to track. He was obviously carrying Kara and had very little idea that someone might be trailing him. He saw the trail more clearly now, even though it was becoming darker. He was making good progress, despite a headache that was fairly similar to the one that Aemun was sharing. He knew that both he and the bandit would eventually have to stop for the night, as the mountains were much too dangerous to traverse during that time. Sillac desperately hoped that Aemun would be able to catch up to him. His friend had never been very quick, and Sillac was moving almost as fast as his legs would carry him. He had no choice, however. His only hope to rescue Kara was to catch up to her and her captor before he lost track of the trail.

"Damn it." he said to himself several minutes later. "It's too late to continue. I have to make camp."

Meanwhile, Kara was slowly getting her bearings back. If the sun was setting in the west, then that would mean they were heading south over the mountains.

"What in blazes is over the mountains?" she thought. "There are some Sacaen villages here and there, but this guy isn't from Sacae. Where could we be going?"

She decided that it was too late to think about it, and she was tired from bouncing up and down all day. She closed her eyes and fell into the restive sleep of a traveler.

Sillac woke slowly the next morning, drifting in and out of sleep, until he remembered the events of the previous day. He jumped up immediately and packed camp. A few moments later he was again running toward the direction he remembered them to be heading the previous night. However, when he reached a small river, he knew he was in trouble. There was absolutely no sign of the tracks. Sillac decided that he would have to try his luck and guess as to their course. He left a marker for Aemun, and began to head southwest, and at that moment, the three companion's paths were split for a long time.

Chapter 4

Aemun continued to follow Sillac at as fast of a speed as his legs could muster. He was sore from the previous day, and it hurt to merely move, but he continued to run. He saw the marker that he supposed that Sillac had left for him, and headed southwest. Eventually, he noticed that as he got higher into the mountains, the brush was becoming much less thick. Apparently he was getting close to the top of the mountains. The sunshine fell softly down on him, and all of the rain from two nights ago had completely dried. There was a cool breeze, and the quiet majesty of the mountains permeated the area. He continued at a rapid pace. He had to catch up to Sillac. They couldn't be going much farther. Despite the aching in his legs and feet, he ran onward. As he approached the peaks, the sight of his homeland of Ilia began to fade from view, and in its place were the great plains of Sacae.

The mysterious bandit threw Kara down on the ground. Her entire body ached. She looked around and noticed that she was inside. It was a dark room, with old and rough brick walls, in sore need of repair. The only light came from a small torch in the hallway, and there were no windows. In the corner of the room laid a small bed with rough sheets that looked unfit for any human. Kara, however, thought that it was the most wonderful thing she had ever seen. She crawled over to the bed and raised herself up. The bandit watched her for a moment, grunted, and left the room with a slam of the door. Engulfed in darkness, Kara fell into the most restful sleep of her life.

Aemun ran after Sillac, following the trail of heavy footprints and a path almost certainly hacked with a sword. It was harder than it seemed, thought Aemun, to carry all of the necessities of a campsite up a mountain. The mountain was littered with muddy patches, steep, gravel-laden inclines, and thick undergrowth that almost eliminated the paths completely. Although he was feeling slightly discouraged, Aemun did know it was of the most vital importance to continue. Kara and Sillac were counting on him.

Sillac continued. He was certain that he had lost Kara. He had not noticed any trace of the man's tracks or camp for a day and a half. He then decided to go to any Sacaen villages that he could find to see if they knew of any bandits in the mountains. He became an arrow, focused on only the task of finding Kara. Only later did he realize that Aemun had been left far behind. The thought panged him with guilt, but he decided that Aemun could fend for himself quite well, and that Kara was in imminent danger of becoming lost forever. He raced across the plains, and the sight of a walled city in the distance made him go even faster.

When he arrived at the city, which he later found out was called Bulgar; he went in with strange thoughts in his mind. This was by far the biggest city he had ever seen. The town, he noted, was electric with activity. All across the square, he noticed people bargaining and trading and bartering and buying and selling. It was a new experience for him, a farm boy from the north, and he was almost terrified. However, his curiosity got the best of him, and he went from shop to shop and tent to tent looking at the wares of various merchants. Eventually, he became hungry and asked a merchant where he could find the best local food.

"Probably at the Goat's Head Tavern, just down the street."

Sillac thanked the merchant, handed him a coin, and walked off toward it at a leisurely pace.


	4. Part IV

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The bandit pushed some disgusting soup and old bread into her room. Kara hated the taste of the stuff, and was worried about her health, but she ate the food anyway. At least it was still hot. She continued to eat the bread and soup until she heard the bandit speaking to one of the other bandits outside the door. As this was the first time she had ever heard him speak, she leaned closer to the door, hoping to glean what she could from the conversation.

"We've got a raid planned on the village tomorrow night. Get all the men for this one. We'll need all of 'em if we wanna be able to sack the village."

"Yes sir," replied the other man.

Kara digested the implications of what she had just overheard. On one hand, when the men left, it would be the best time for her to try and escape her captors, but on the other, a village was about to be destroyed. How she was going to escape, she had no idea, as they only let her out of her room to use the chamber pot. She began to brood over this dilemma, and her thoughts carried her far away from the rest of the world.

Aemun muttered in disgust as he slowly worked his way through thick brambles and undergrowth. His throat was a desert Just as he was about to give up and turn back, as he had not seen any trace of Sillac since he passed the last river, he came to a clearing, and he heard the sound of a flowing river.

"At last, water," he thought.

He refilled his water skin and looked around. His eyes spun around the area once, and then he looked back at a tree. On this particular tree was an arrow pointing in a southwest direction. Also, he noticed definite traces of a camp, not more than two days old. Aemun almost leaped in excitement.

"This is certainly the path that Sillac has taken!" he thought. With his thirst quenched and Sillac's trail rediscovered, he set off toward the Sacaen plains.

Sillac sat down with his drink and began to listen to the conversations around him. Most were normal enough, men talking about their latest hunting successes, or about their homes. Others talked of political disputes in nearby Bern, and others of the havoc that the Tavilier bandits were wreaking on the plains and in northern Bern. However, one conversation in particular piqued his interest, in which a man was talking about an apparently well-known organization in Bern known as the Black Fang.

"But I hear," said one man, "that there's been change abound, especially among the four Fangs. Apparently they have been changed for the fist time in many years. Obviously the Reed brothers are still in place, but there are two newer members, one of them, she's a mage, and the other one, he's a lethal swordsman. So far, no one knows too much other than the nickname of the swordsman. He's known as the Angel of Death, apparently."

"Wait a moment," interrupted another man. "Where did you get all this information? The only person who would know that stuff is someone who is a…"

"Not a Fang member, my good man, but someone who himself was being hunted by the Four Fangs," said the first man, to mixed looks of awe and skepticism from the rest of the crowd.

"He was a very good friend of mine, but he got mixed up in some bad business in Bern after he left Sacae. Haven't seen him for years. The last thing that he told me was that he was being hunted, and that there were changes abound in the Fang. I tried to pick up some new information after that. Eventually he sent me a messenger. It revealed much."

"What was his name?" asked another man.

"My friend's name was Oji of the Lorca," he replied.

At this Sillac sat straight up in shock.

"Excuse me," said Sillac slowly, afraid to hope, "but did you say Oji?"

"Why, yes I did, boy. What's it to you, may I ask?"

"Oji lived in my village for several years. He lived in my parents' house, and he taught me everything I know about using a sword."

At this, the mouths of several men, including the one he was speaking to dropped visibly.

"And by what name are you known, boy?" asked the man, this time in a much more respectful tone.

"I am Sillac."

"Sillac, my name is Gregor. Please, tell me how you came to meet Oji. He was a very close friend of mine."

"Of course," replied Sillac. "However, will you tell me what you know of Oji, in return for my story?"

"Yes," Gregor replied. "Please begin."

So Sillac told the men of how he came to meet Oji, how Oji had come to the village, how he had taught him to wield a sword, and finally his unexplained departure. When Sillac finished his tale, Gregor let out a long sigh.

"Well," he said, "at least two members of the Lorca tribe survived. Damn those Taviliers! May they all rot!"

Gregor took a long drink to calm himself, and then he said,

"Sillac, lad, you may never believe the tale that I'm about to tell you. However, I am fairly sure that you spoke the truth, and therefore so will I."

"Oji was born a member of the Lorca tribe, who lived in the southern part of Sacae, just west of here. Oji left the tribe about seven years ago to pursue a career as a swordsman. He and I had met many years earlier when he came to the pub here, and we became good friends. Before he left, he came to see me and we wished each other farewell. I did not hear from him for almost four years, but then I got a letter that said told me he was being hunted, and that some major changes were happening within the Black. Then, about a year later, a messenger came to my house and said that he had a letter from some man named Oji. He told me that his life was in terrible danger, and he was on the run and this may be the last chance for him to get me a message. He explained all the details of his expedition. It began in Bern, where he joined a small mercenaries guild, who were rivals with the Black Fang. Then, about two years later, a small war broke out between the two groups, and Oji, who had since become an incredible swordsman, dealt a killing blow to a high-ranking sage. How he did it, I do not know, but the fact remains that it happened, and Oji was then a target. He left the guild, and began to run. He never stayed in any place for too long, and at his last letter, he told me he was going to travel to Sacae to rejoin his tribe. That was the last I had heard from him. However, that means that he arrived in Sacae after he left Ilia. So , lad that would mean that the whereabouts of our good friend are probably known by the Lorca tribe."

"That's the best news I've had in weeks!" exclaimed Sillac. "Maybe I have a chance to find him!"

"Ahh, don't get too excited yet, lad," said Gregor. "Several months ago, the Lorca tribe was killed by the Talivier bandits. As far as I know, only the chieftain's daughter survived. She was here a few days ago, actually, with some Lycian knights. They left and headed west. I would have gone and chased after her, but my livelihood is here. You may be able to catch her, though." At this, Sillac jumped up, all notions of rescuing Kara gone, for he had a clue to the whereabouts of Oji. Kara would be able to get away. She was quick on her feet, and she had a knack for getting out of tight spots. "Gregor, thank you for your time. I am going to catch this Lyn if it is the last thing I do." "Good luck, lad!" replied Gregor, as Sillac left the table. "I wish you luck." But Sillac was already out the door.


	5. Part V

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Kara gasped for breath as she came running into Bulgar. She had been running almost nonstop on adrenaline for five hours. When she was finally inside the gates of the town, she tried valiantly to catch her breath, failed, and passed out. When she came to, she found herself in a small, homey room. The smell of boiling herbs came from the direction of the doorway. She stood up, and walked into a kitchen that was even smaller than the bedroom. An elderly woman appeared in the doorway.

"Hello!" the woman said brightly. "You've been unconscious for over six hours now. I was beginning to wonder if you would awaken."

Kara's head still spun. She tried to digest the facts that she had just been given.

"Six hours" she thought. "What was I doing before I woke up here? I should just ask Sillac. He'll remember." And then, all of the recent events came flooding back to her. She immediately jumped up with full intention of running as fast as she could out the door. She got about three steps there and her field of vision began to narrow, and her legs turned to jelly.

"Sit down" said the old woman. "You are in no condition to go running out the door. Have some of this, and you should feel much better."

Kara thanked the old woman, and then lost herself in thought. She had to find Sillac, and she had no time to lose. Sillac was much a much faster traveler than she was, but Sillac was traveling with Aemun. That should give her enough time to catch up with him. After a short while longer in the old woman's company, she went to the center of town.

"It was pure luck the bandits left my stuff right by the entrance to the cell," she thought with a small giggle, as she bought bread and vulneries from a small merchant. As she went over her mental checklist, she realized that since she was alone now, she would have to purchase a weapon.

When she went over to the armory, and saw the many different weapons on the wall, she more than ever wished that Sillac were here. At least he would have been able to tell the difference between all of these swords. She looked around at the different swords, and saw a blade that resembled the one that Sillac owned. As she tried to pick it up, however, she nearly fell over from the effort.

"I need something smaller," she said to no one in particular. "Much smaller."After a careful and thorough search, she was at last satisfied with her new sword. She paid for it, and although it was 600 gold, it was in good condition, and it would most likely last her for a very long time. It had a small, hooked blade, and the doublet was easily concealed underneath her cloak. Fully ready to depart, she headed for the gates of town, and unsure of which way to go, she took the east road with several other travelers.

Chapter 7

Aemun walked into Bulgar, and immediately bought food. After satisfying his stomach, he sat and listened to the conversation.

"A different town, but the same stories," Aemun thought as he tried to glean what he could from the surrounding conversation. However, all that he heard was the superficial chatter of the merchants and travelers in the city. He went up to the bartender and asked her if he had seen a young man traveling through the city alone recently. Almost at once Aemun realized how stupid his question had been.

"Well," replied the bartender sarcastically, "maybe one or two. Which one were you looking for?"

"I am looking for one named Sillac," Aemun replied as though the comment hadn't fazed him at all.

"Never heard of any Sillac" replied the bartender, and she turned away.

"Excuse me, lad," came a voice from the right. "I know a Sillac. He passed through here just yesterday."

"What is your name?" asked Aemun, barely able to control his voice.

"M'names Gregor, lad. May I have the pleasure of yours?"

"My name is Aemun. I was traveling with Sillac until we were separated when bandits raided our camp. I have been trailing him for almost a week. Do you have a clue to his whereabouts?"

"That I do, lad. He went west in pursuit of a young lady whose tribe lived just west of here until very recently. He was looking for information about an old friend of his, a man named Oji."

"Oji!" Aemun exclaimed. "I haven't seen or heard of him since he left our village!"

"Well, lad, I don't wish to be rude, but you really need to get going. Your friend has about a two day's head start on you."

"Thank you, sir," Aemun replied. "May fortune guide you."

Aemun, hardly eager to continue traveling after several days on the road, wearily set off toward the gates of Bulgar.


	6. Part VI

Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Sillac continued his frenzied march across the wilderness in an effort to find the mysterious Lyn. However, all of the frequent traveling was beginning to get to him. His legs ached constantly, and his mind was not connected to his body, searching elsewhere for some small solace from the devastating sun. He noticed, though, as he traveled farther southwest, that the sun did not so severely burn his face and more frequently now did a slight breeze cool his sweat. In the distance, a thin stretch of brown approaching on the horizon told him that he would soon reach the mountains that separated the Sacaen plains from the deep forests of northwestern Bern. Sillac had much time to brood during his traveling, and began to wonder what had happened to his friends. They had not been separated more than a week, but already it felt like an age. Sillac felt a strong pang of guilt as he realized that Kara might not have escaped her captor. In his rush to find Oji, he realized, he had forgotten all about her.

"How could I forget about on of my best friends, and just like that?" he thought.

Despite his guilt, his common sense told him that going back now would certainly ruin his chances of ever finding Oji again, and his chances of finding Kara were slim at best.

He then continued on the road until he came to a small village late in the evening. As he came closer, he began to wish that he had been stealthier in his approach. Most of the village was a smoking ruin. As Sillac began to creep up along the wall in the middle of town, a sudden shout of "Stay where you are!" came from the top of the armory to the south. Three men appeared, two men holding swords which, Sillac noticed, they had no idea how to use, and one lone archer from the top of the armory.

"State yer business," a gruff voice from the man on the left said.

I am looking for a young Sacaen woman who travels with two Lycian knights. I heard that they traveled this way."

"Hey!" exclaimed the voice on the right, "That sounds like the folks that Wil….Ooof!"

"Dammit, Meris!" responded the left voice. "We don't know why he's looking for her. He might be out to kill her or something. Not that she was actually here or anything, this girl. I mean umm, uhh, err, aw damn! I guess we're just not cut out for this defending the village business. Yeah, lad, she was here. Saved the whole damn village, too. Another boy, just a little bit older than you, who was living here in our village left with her. I sure wish he hadn't, though. He sure knew what he was doing with this kind of thing…"

"Do you mind if I stay here tonight," asked Sillac, "Or do you have an inn at the moment?"

"Yeah, we do. You can stay, but only if you leave yer weapons in the front while ya sleep."

"Sounds fair to me, I guess," said Sillac in reply. "What happened here anyway?"

"Well," said the man with the gruff voice, "We've been having some problems with bandits lately, especially those damned Taviliers."

"Tell me about it please," said Sillac, as they began to walk to the inn.

Chapter 9

After Kara parted ways with her fellow travelers from Bulgar, she found that she was in no way alone on the main road to Bern. There were plenty of small villages that dotted the countryside, and many other travelers joined her on the road. However, as her food supplies began to run low, she pondered what she would do when they finally ran out. She had no way to earn money, short of begging, and there were fewer villages now, as she was approaching the more central areas of Bern. Then, one night as she camped with some of the other travelers on the side of the road, she heard the sound of two whispering voices coming from behind the wagon of one of the travelers, who was a wealthy merchant. With well-practiced skill, she stealthily moved over to the other side of the wagon, using the shadows and the wind to hide her movements. She kept perfectly still, and listened to what the two men were saying.

"I'm serious, this will make us rich. This old geezer has more stuff in the back of his wagon than the King of Bern! Plus, Hurricane said that we need it."

"What if we get caught, though? We're out on the road, for goodness sakes! If we get caught trying to steal this stuff, the people here will kill us. And if we go back without it, we get killed when we get back! Is this really worth it?"

"Get yourself some guts, man. We have a duty. We have to do it. Besides, the old merchant had it stolen for him in the first place. That's how the Fang works."

"Alright, then, lets do it. But hurry, before I start thinking about it again."

Kara watched as the man pulled a lock pick from his pocket and began to try to use it to open the strongbox. As she watched, Kara realized that the man didn't really know how to use a lock pick. She did, though. As she thought about what had passed between the two men, she thought that this seemed like a nice enough way to get herself some food. She stepped cautiously out of the shadows and said, "Do you need some help?"

Both men jumped in alarm. The one with the lock pick drew a sword sheathed beneath his cloak in an instant. Kara then realized that although this man was a hopeless lock pick, he almost as good as Sillac with a blade. She drew back cautiously.

"I heard what you said a minute ago, I want to help. All I need is food right now. What is this Fang, anyway?"

The men conversed quietly for a second. Then, turning to an expressionless Kara, he said

"Pick the lock."


	7. Part VII

Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Aemun continued his walk across the plains in hopes of finding some trace of his friends. He dared not hope to catch up to Sillac, but he did hope to not fall so far behind. After all, even Sillac couldn't travel on like this forever. As the hot sun beat down on his face, he stopped, took a drink from his water skin, and continued. He wasn't exactly sure of the distance that he had covered in the past couple weeks, but he knew that he had never been so tired of anything in his life, excluding Kara's kleptomania. As he sat down on a tree at the side of the road, he wondered what had become of his friends. Sometimes he wished to have some control over his Sight, so that he could look for his friends. Even as the thought came to his head, he suddenly saw a bright flash of light, and then darkness. Out of the black, a soft red glow appeared, and he saw that he was inside a large structure, clearly thousands of years old. He saw a cloaked figure of a man in the distance, next to a gargantuan, empty archway. At the man's side was a woman, dressed in ornate robes and holding a tome of magic. The figures appeared to be speaking, although Aemun could not hear what they said. Then, as his Sight drew nearer, he began to hear.

"This will not do, Limestella, my puppet. I need more. I need a better way than this. This is taking all together too much time."

"Yes, my lord. What do you plan to do?"

"This will take some time. I must think. Do not interrupt me."

"Yes, my Lord Ner….."

Then, Aemun's Eyes became blurry, he ceased to hear, and once again everything turned to black. Aemun felt his eyes and body become one again, and he slowly tried to rise, only to return immediately to the ground. The visions were incredibly stressful on his body, and he needed time to recuperate. He waited until he had some energy, moved slightly off into the woods, made camp, and slept.

Chapter 11

As Sillac talked with Merek and Otis, as he had by now learned their names, he began to piece some information together. Apparently the infamous Talvalier bandits that Sillac had heard so much about were behind the attack on the village. Most of the man Merek's description was meaningless, but Sillac's ears perked when he began to talk about the consistently mysterious Lyn.

"Well," he said, "All I know is, if that Lyn an' her knight friends hadn't shown up, we'd all be dead by now. That's for sure."

"Did anyone actually talk to her? I need to talk to her about a friend of mine," said Sillac.

"Well, not really, 'cause she left kinda quickly, but I can tell you that she headed west, toward border of Bern and Lycia. There's a nice little inn up the way where most of the travelers go. You might try to find her there."

"Thanks for the tip," replied Sillac. "I'll be leaving first thing in the morning."

"I guess we should get you a room now, huh?" said Otis.

"I'm surprised those bandits ain't been back yet, Otis. Maybe something happened to that girl they had captured."

"They capture women?" exclaimed a shocked Sillac. "Are they monsters?"

"Damn close. Sad thing is, she's not gonna have much chance finding somewhere nice to be, from what I hear. Apparently she was a beauty. Bright red hair, brown eyes. Not very tall either, the rumor was. A younger girl, my guess. They just kept goin' on about her…"

Sillac's heart skipped about ten beats, and he asked, "Did they say a name?"

"Yeah, I think I heard it once while we were watchin' 'em. Catra, no, umm, Kana, no, uhh,…"

"Kara!" Sillac exclaimed. "Why would they be in such a fuss about it?"

"Well, girls like that fetch pretty good coin in certain places. They'd be in a huge fuss if she escaped."

Sillac did not respond, now feeling suddenly tired and slightly nauseous, and excused himself a moment later. He spent a better part of the night awake and restless in his bed.

Chapter 12

"Done," said Kara calmly, ten seconds later. She had picked the lock easily. This old man was easier to steal from than Sillac and Aemun, no doubt about it. Her hand was steady and well practiced. The men behind her had watched her with obvious amazement, mixed with envy. After they had picked the lock on the strongbox, they quietly removed the jewels, including several rubies, a pair of sapphires, and even a diamond. They placed the gems in a bag, and Kara followed shortly behind the men at their signal. They snuck past the now sleeping camp of travelers, and made their way into the woods on a hidden route known only to the two men. Their journey took the better part of two hours in the wilderness, during which little more than necessary was said. However, as they rounded a bend in the path that had recently unfolded in front of them, the man who had tried to pick the lock told every to stop.

"All right, kid. It's time to learn what you are about to become a part of. By picking the lock, you have shown that you are worthy to be a member of the noble organization known as the Black Fang. The Fang deals justice to those who abuse their power, and to those who consider themselves above the law. We operate independently of anyone except our commander, Brendan Reed. The Fang has laws. You must never betray the Fang. Salvage the weak to save the strong. Do not be afraid to kill when you must. Finally, never harm civilians. They are those whom the Fang protects. If you will abide by these rules, then you may become a member of the Fang."

The man's words hung in the, echoing as the last words escaped his lips. Kara listened. She looked around. Here she was, alone in a dark forest, with two armed, capable warriors in front of her. The moon cast long shadows on the ground. A small wind blew through the forest, but nothing more. It was as though the man's speech had silenced the trees and wildlife. She began to think, to measure the decisions before her. When she looked back on this moment many years later, she still could not understand the feeling she had that night, almost as though someone was speaking into her ear and telling her which way her destiny lied. Because of this, without being at all sure why, she said,

"I accept."

"Well then," said the man with the lock pick, "welcome to the Fang. My name is Ital. His is Han. We were sent to return the jewels that the merchant had stolen, with orders to kill him if necessary. We report to the Legault, also known as the Hurricane. He is a master thief, and very skilled with a blade. He has been with the Fang longer than most. As of now, you are truly a member of the Fang. We will welcome you into our halls, and feed you as you requested. Come with us."

As she came farther around the bend, she saw a small fortress in serious disrepair. Almost instantly beginning to regret her decision, she followed the men up to the gates. Her opinion rapidly changed when she entered the fort and saw the warm, blazing hearth, and the well kept beds. The men gave her a short tour through the base, and then showed her to what they called her temporary room. As she lied in her bed, she tried to ponder her decision, and the events of the night, but sleep soon overcame her, and she stayed in bed for a long while.


	8. Part VIII

Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Aemun did not feel well at the present. His head ached, and he felt sick to his stomach. That vision had been a horrid one. It wasn't like most of his other visions, in which he had seen large amounts of magic unleashed in strange places he had never been to, or strange men creeping around at night, or other such events. This time, he had almost been able to touch what was around him. Normally, it was just his eyes, it seemed to him, that moved through his visions, but this time it had felt like his whole body. He moved slowly down the road, knowing how much distance Sillac had probably gained on him by now. As much as the thought of losing his friend bothered him, the strange vision bothered him more. He had sensed a strong aura of malice radiating from the man, and the eerie woman standing next to him didn't help things either. He felt weak and sick. In a couple of hours, he arrived at a small, village that looked to be in some state of disrepair. However, he passed it by, as his waterskins and rations were full after spending the night near the stream. As he continued his slower pace, he felt himself begin to rejuvenate and as he recovered from the previous days of harsh traveling. As the day wore on, so did the wind-blown trail of footsteps that he left behind.

Chapter 14

Sillac continued toward the border of Bern and Lycia. His frenzied march was beginning to have a lasting effect on his body. His ankles and knees seemed near the breaking point. When he at last reached the inn that all travelers recognized as the borderline between the two countries, he could barely see straight, and he walked merely out of reflex. As he arrived at the door, he saw nothing, felt nothing, and sensed nothing except the delicious aroma of food coming from the kitchen. He entered, fully conscious of his quite probably unpresentable state, and sat down at a small table on the far wall. A young barmaid approached him and offered him something to drink. He graciously accepted, and downed the water in one gulp.

"I'll go get you some more to drink, and some food as well, boy. You look very tired."

Sillac did not reply, only nodding slightly. The waitress returned with a meal, which Sillac promptly paid for and began to eat. He felt his lost strength beginning to regenerate after weeks of travel, and he at last began to let his guard down after weeks on the road, allowing himself to be captured by the sights around him.

It was a lively inn, full of people coming and going between Bern and Lycia. After several minutes, he noticed a group of people congregating near a table at the center of the room. He got up from his seat and joined in the excitement, which turned out to be several men gambling. It did not seem to be rigged, so Sillac sat down. He joined in the next game of dice, and after a night of much amusement, he came away with a fairly good deal of money. All of the food he had eaten, combined with the effects of a long journey, made him very weary, and he went upstairs to the room that he had rented. He was so tired that he failed to notice the two thugs that climbed up after him.

Chapter 15

When Kara awoke the following morning, she felt better than she ever had. She felt quite safe inside this place, and the people were friendly enough to her. Some of them seemed rather strange, but from their accents and looks, she could tell that they came from many different countries, from Ilia to the Western Isles. Her eyes were trying to take in everything. There was a large empty space in the old fortress, which Kara figured used to be a courtyard, that was now being used as a training ground. Even this early in the morning, many members of the Black Fang were already out working. Finally, Kara saw the man, whose named she realized that she did not know, who had invited her to join. He caught sight of her and beckoned her to follow him down to the mess. She followed, and after they both received their food, she finally said,

"You know, despite how we've committed a crime together and I've joined your group, I still do not know your name."

"Frenches. What is yours?"

"Kara. Frenches, huh? That's a rather unusual name. Where in Elibe are you from?"

"To be honest, I don't really know. Me and my twin brother had been traveling the world for years. Our parents died when we were very young, and neither of us bothered to remember the land of our birth. If we really wanted to, we probably could, but I doubt it would make that much difference. The Fang is our family, and we are at home in the halls of the Fang."

"Ah, I see," replied Kara. "So, was your brother the man with you the other night?"

"No, he was merely my partner for that mission. Most of the time, the Fang won't send anyone out alone, unless the person in question is very good. You haven't met anyone that good yet, but I hope you will soon. Legault should be here in a moment."

"So then, Frenches, what is your brother's name, and why is he not your partner? I thought you had said that the two of you were very close."

"Oh, we are. However, he has moved up the ranks a bit faster than I have, so he has finally received command of his own group. He is a very talented shaman, to be honest. More so than I am with a blade. His name is Heinz, by the way."

"I should very much like to meet him. Is he here?"

"Well, that's just the thing. He's not here because he is leading his group on an assignment. They are supposed to be recovering an "item" of large value, and of large value to Brendan Reed himself, at that. Apparently, they traced the item all the way to Lycia. More than that, he would not disclose to me."

"That sounds impressive," said Kara. There was a short pause, and then Frenches stood up.

"Well, Kara, I hope that you have been welcomed sufficiently into our halls. Legault is obviously not here today, so we will have to introduce you to him formally later. Being who he is, he's probably aware of your presence already."

"Oh, all right then. I'll see you around."

With that, Kara turned around and walked toward her room. Alone after an interesting morning, she began to wonder who this mysterious Legault was.

Chapter 16

Aemun had reached the border inn, but had left after replenishing his rations and waterskins. He was running low on money, but if he really needed to, he could always find work somewhere. He knew with his current rations that he could at least make it to Araphen. Even though he knew that his hope of catching Sillac was now less than zero, he did not stop at the inn. He did not enjoy large crowds and jam-packed rooms, unlike Sillac. His strength had recovered since the last time that he had a vision, at least to the point where he could start practicing magic again. He was happy to find that he hadn't lost any of his abilities over the past several days, most importantly his ability to cast without a book of spells.

He knew that he would have to begin training again as soon as he found Sillac

He knew that he would have to begin training again as soon as he found Sillac. However, even though Aemun knew from people that he had spoken to that Sillac was slowing down, he knew that Sillac was still moving faster than he was. He decided that until Fate showed him something else, he would continue to follow Sillac. He knew that it would definitely be better than wandering this area near the border, as the border was highly infested with bandits, among other things. And so he continued on the road. As he ventured farther into Lycia, people grew less sparse, and finally, he saw in the distance the gates of Araphen.


	9. Part IX

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Unfortunately for the thugs previously mentioned, Sillac was still a better swordsman than they were, even when he was tired and weak. They didn't even stand a chance, and besides that, they were slightly drunk. Sillac felt one of them grab his shoulder, and with one fluid motion, dispatched one thug with the butt of his sword, and the other with a sharp kick in the stomach. He then continued to his room without a second thought, leaving two groaning men on the floor. He locked the door, and drifted off into a fine sleep.

The next morning, he woke up early and went for his early morning training, and then returned to the inn. He grabbed his belongings and left for Lycia. As he traveled the roads, he noticed that trees were becoming less abundant, and then eventually the trees disappeared, giving way to farmland. And as he came to the crest of a hill, he could see the gates of Araphen. However, he saw smoke rising from somewhere in the town. He was still several miles away, but he quickened his pace, curious to see where the smoke was coming from.

Chapter 18

Kara spent some time in her room before returning to the common area of the Black Fang base. When she arrived, she saw Frenches talking to a short man with a long scar running down the left side of his face through his eye. Frenches saw her, and beckoned her over.

"Just who I've been hoping to see. Kara, meet your commander, Legault. Legault, this is Kara, the new recruit I was about to tell you about.

Legault looked at her and said with a condescending tone,

"She's very young, Frenches. What exactly piqued your interest?"

"She is the most natural thief I have ever met, Legault. I'm quite sure she could reach your skill level some day, maybe even surpass it."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"Well, here's the story………"

Kara tried very hard not to look embarrassed during a rather glorified recount of their exploits. However, Frenches seemed to perceive it as accurate, and she did not wish to lower her current standing within the group, so she stayed silent. After they had finished talking, Legault looked over at her, his eyes betraying nothing.

"Why did you help them? What do you have to gain by joining us?"

"Nothing, to be honest. A roof over my head. Company. Besides, the man was wicked, wasn't he? I like the idea of giving justice to the poor when the rich wrong them. That's all, really."

"Why were you on your own, with no food or company out on the road?"

"Bandits."

"That tells me nothing, child. Tell me why you were alone."

Still, his eyes betrayed nothing, so Kara decided to remain honest.

"Two of my friends and I left our village in Ilia as is the custom. We must make our way on our own for three years, and then return to the village. I was captured near the border of Ilia and Sacae while we were asleep. They took me to a place in the mountains between Sacae and Bern. I picked the lock on my cell door and left while the bandits were away, trying to rob a village. I barely made it to Bulgar. An old woman looked after me until I was ready to leave. Then, I followed a group of travelers to the east. On the road, I met your men. That's my story."

Legault's seemingly expressionless face cracked a thin, strangely expectant smile.

"Welcome, then, to the Fang. Meet me at dinner in the mess hall. I have an assignment for you."

Chapter 19

Aemun arrived at Araphen about three hours after Sillac. However, neither one saw the other. Sillac entered the main gate with a hurried pace, wondering what was wrong. He saw that the smoke, or rather what remained of it, was coming from the castle. Already very suspicious, but not too willing to ask questions, he looked around the east side of the castle for the source of the fire. However, there was nothing to be found. As he walked around, he saw several castle guards moving toward the opposite side. He followed them hesitantly, and saw the impeccably clean streets of Araphen stained dark with fresh blood. Sillac noticed that he was not the only onlooker. He approached someone else who looked like a traveler and asked him what had happened. The man could only tell him that there had been an attack on the castle. However, the man did suggest a woman who lived in a house to the north that saw the whole attack. Sillac thanked the man with a coin, and walked up to the woman's door. He knocked, and a girl much younger than he had anticipated answered the door. She looked at him quizzically before saying,

"Who are you?"

"Someone said that you could tell me what happened outside……"

His voice trailed off, slightly embarrassed, although he did not completely understand why. The girl interrupted his train of thought.

"Who are you, again?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. My name is Sillac. I'm a traveler. I'm trying to find someone, and I want to make sure that they weren't killed, that's all."

"Let me ask my mother, then."

She shut the door and walked away. A moment later, the door opened, and this time a crotchety old woman appeared. She looked at him for just a little too long, as the old are so wont to do, before finally deciding that he was welcome in their house.

"Come in," she said.

Sillac walked in and the girl invited him to sit down after them. Sillac accepted her invitation and began to eat a little bit of food with them. After a short period of awkward conversation, the young girl and her mother became more talkative, and their topics of discussion were boundless. As they talked more and more, Sillac began to notice that the girl was a lot like Kara. As the thought entered his head, he immediately reached down toward his pocket to check if everything was still there. The woman responded as though she had read his mind.

"That's not a very good way to treat your hosts, young man. We certainly aren't going to steal from you. Although I don't think I could say as much for the man we had in here earlier….."

"I'm sorry?" responded Sillac. "Who?"

"Oh, I was just thinking aloud," said the woman. "Some man came in here while the castle was being attacked. He left eventually, though. I think he took off with that Sacaen girl that had everyone in an uproar."

"Sacaen girl?" asked Sillac. "Her name wouldn't be Lyn, now, would it?"

"Ah, yes, that's the name. We hid in the basement, but from what I'm told, the young girl was ambushed by assassins. Rath, the Sacaen guard captain, left with the girl afterward. Apparently there's some sort of inheritance dispute in Caelin. I can't say that I know anything about it. Why do you ask, boy?"

"I seek that Lyn. She knew Oj…..an old friend of mine."

"Well, boy, you had better hurry and find her. If assassins found her in Araphen, she'll have no quarter when she gets closer to Caelin."

"Thank you for the meal, ma'am. It was delicious."

"Good luck, boy. Elimine knows you'll need it."

Sillac, undeterred from his goal, stood up and made ready to leave. As he shut the door, he could have sworn he saw the girl wink at him. He wouldn't understand why until later.

In the mean time, Aemun was busy. Despite the fact that he had been raised by parents who actively read Eliminian scripture, he had never put much stock into that branch of magic. What he had seen from the people around Pacallis and the occasional traveling monk showed him that those who used the tomes of light magic never seemed very capable. This man, on the other hand, was different. As he saw the man practicing in the alley, he knew that light magic could be fiercely powerful if it was used correctly.

The man began his spells with his hands folded and his eyes closed in a gesture of prayer. Then, as the magical energy that Aemun could sense around him began to increase in magnitude, the man would open his eyes and force the energy into a bolt of righteous lightning with a fury. Aemun watched the man for a while, and listened to his chants. He gleaned what he could from them, and then found a secluded spot in an alleyway of his own where he could begin to master his third branch of magic.

It was harder than it appeared to be. Aemun had at first thought that it would come to him very easily. However, he seemed to be even clumsier with this branch of magic than he was with staves. At least he could use staves. The light magic, on the other hand, seemed to evade his grasp. He tried to imitate the man as much as he could. He gathered the magical energy around him, and then, when the energy reached its zenith, he opened his eyes and tried to release it. However, every time he tried, the energy dissipated, as siphoned off by some unseen source. Thoroughly confounded by this, he went back to the alleyway where he had seen the man practicing. However, the man was nowhere to be found. Aemun then went to the local inn and rented a room, but he slept little, perplexed as to why this comparatively simple magic eluded him.


	10. Part X

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Kara watched the sun with nervous excitement. Dinner was at sundown, and she was getting an assignment. And from Legault himself. She wondered what it could possibly be. Flustered, she looked out at the sky again. She guessed it to be about two hours until sunset. Frenches had told her later that receiving an assignment from her commander was a very rare occurrence. Then, someone knocked on her door, wrenching her from thought. She opened the door and she saw a young girl with striking hair. Strikingly green hair. Very green.

"Hi!" said the young girl cheerfully. "My name's Nino! What's yours?"

"I'm Kara," she responded, somewhat confused by this sudden and unexpected appearance of a well-dressed young girl. As Kara glanced over her robes, she noticed that Nino looked very much like a mage. Kara, as inquisitive as ever, asked her if she was.

"Yeah, but I'm nowhere near as good as Mother is. She's amazing. So, you're new around here, right?" she said, changing topics without skipping a beat. "Do you want me to show you around?"

Now even more perplexed by this Nino, Kara was very curious to learn more about her. She agreed, and Nino immediately grabbed her hand and whisked her away with incredible speed.

About two hours later, Kara felt much more comfortable with Nino. She was Kara's age, and, as she learned, was almost as good of a spellcaster as Aemun. She could cast without books too, and everything she learned, she had memorized. Nino had done most of the talking, but it really didn't bother Kara. She appreciated the young girl's enthusiasm. It made her day lighter, and helped her with the stress of the assignment that she was now on her way to receive. When she entered the dining hall, she looked around for a moment and saw Legault sitting at a table across the room. He raised his eyes, saw her, and beckoned for her to come over. She did, and when she got nearer to the table, he beckoned her to sit.

"Kara, I have an assignment for you. Normally, you would have many tests of loyalty to undergo before I would ever give you a personal assignment. I tell you this because I am certain that you already know. However, I sense that you may be of great value to the Fang. Far to the south, the Fang has a contract to fulfill. Tomorrow, you will be sent to eliminate a man who bears our Family ill. His name is Milace. He seeks vengeance for his brother, upon whom the Fang also brought judgment. Remove him from his position of power and influence, and show those who dare abuse their power the will of the Fang!"

The righteous anger in Legault's voice faded, and he sighed as he sat down. Kara, puzzled for the umpteenth time that day, gave Legault a questioning glance, but received no response. She found Frenches, and she told him about her assignment.

"I just don't know if I can," she said. "I don't know if I could kill anyone."

Frenches nodded in agreement. "It's the most difficult part about being in the Fang. You have to really believe that what you are doing is in the best interest of the people of Bern. So far, I have never doubted. The day I don't believe that the Fang works for the good of Bern is the day that I leave, regardless of the consequences. When do you leave?"

"Tomorrow," said Kara helplessly. "How can I be ready by then?"

Impressed by Frenches's and sense of honor, but still totally unnerved by her assignment, she sought some form of solace.

"I'll go look for Nino," Kara decided. "Maybe I'll feel better if I talk to her for a while."

Kara never found Nino, and instead fell into a deeply troubled sleep when she laid down on her bed.

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Sillac left Araphen and continued his pursuit of the elusive Lyn. As he sat down to remove some food from his pack, he noticed that instead of just the plain bread he expected, there was a generous helping of fruit and other small treats. Suddenly, he realized why the girl had winked at him. He thought that he had felt something touch his bag. Now, he realized, it had been something being put into his bag, not something being removed. He wondered why the woman had not just given him the food. As was his habit, he ignored the strange catalyst of the gift and decided to focus on the goodwill of the gift itself. He had some of the new food, and then made his way further down the road, following what he had learned in town. Soon afterward, he came to an inn. Many people had gathered around the inn, and Sillac went up to see what was the matter. If he were to guess, the culprit behind this little disturbance was probably…

"….someone called Lyn," he heard one man say.

"I knew it," thought Sillac. "This girl causes problems everywhere she goes. I'm surprised that she's still alive."

Sillac followed the road through a narrow mountain pass, and followed the trail further until he reached a bridge. There was a small village near the bridge, but Sillac opted to continue his search for Lyn instead of stopping. A short while later, he came upon a house with several guards outside, keeping watch over a pair of horses. One of them was slender and well built, whereas the other was large horse that looked capable of carrying a fully armored knight. Sillac kept his distance. Sillac then began to contemplate that there were too many distractions in the world, and it wasn't until about an hour later that he realized that he didn't even know if he was following Lyn anymore. It was about three miles to the next village, so Sillac just decided to continue in this direction, and then ask about Lyn when he reached the town.

He didn't even need to go that far. He was following a path through the forest, when he came to little road outpost, including an armorer and a small shop. The glaring thing was the gigantic arrow stuck inside a completely splintered tree off to the side of the road. He didn't even have to guess. He already knew that somehow, Lyn was involved. He paused as he tried to recall what the name of the weapon that fired large arrows was.

"Battles-eye….no……Bastila…..no…..Battilsa……no…..Balls-ta ……no……."

Shaking his head, he continued onward. If he couldn't remember it, it wasn't important. Crossing a river to the south, he reached a series of small garrisons. There! He saw signs of the previous battle. Fresh signs, including tracks leading away from the area. Sillac followed the tracks as quickly as he could, his adrenaline pumping. He was so close.

Chapter 22

Aemun still hadn't mastered the light magic. He had no idea why he couldn't grasp it, and his confusion fueled his footsteps until he arrived at the very same house that Sillac had passed by almost an hour before. To his surprise, he saw yet another monk who carried with him a light magic tome. Although his ego sought to persuade his feet away, he approached the man and asked him for help.

"…..Excuse me…..Umm…...How do you use light magic?"

Somewhat taken aback by Aemun's sudden question, he stuttered, and recomposed himself to answer.

"Why do you want to know? And why ask me? And while we're at it, who the heck are you?"

"In the order you asked them, I want to know because I have mastered many types of anima magic and I am capable of wielding the elder magics, although I rarely choose to do so. I want to learn this final branch of magic, but I can't seem to grasp it. I asked you because you seem like a capable spellweaver. And my name is Aemun."

"Well now, Aemun, what makes me think that I can trust you in so close proximity to my Lord? What if you were an assassin?"

Aemun's only response was a simple, unelegant, "Huh?"

"Well, you didn't even know about it, so I guess I can trust you enough to show you some things. My name is Patrick, by the way. And from what you told me, you are a more capable spellcaster than most could ever hope to be. Why does this branch of magic give you so much trouble?"

"Well, I saw a very powerful monk just the other day, and he was practicing his magic in an alley in the backstreets of Araphen. I felt how the energy was summoned, and I learned the words and hand motions, but whenever I try to release the magic, it fails, and the energy dissipates. I do not know what to do from this point. Perhaps you could help guide me?

"But of course," replied Patrick. "I will ask my Lord Hector if you may accompany us back to Ostia. Although I am sure Oswin will be making the final decision, Hector will have to approve first, but I believe the response will be positive."

"Thank you," replied Aemun.

"For now, let me see if I can help you with your problem releasing the energy."


	11. Part XI

Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Kara had a small sack packed with what she would need to complete her mission. Legault had supplied her with a new blade, and she had refurbished her own special lockpicking tool. Finally, she had been instructed to the alchemist to receive the most important weapon of all, a small vile containing a slightly opaque liquid. It was in a glass vile with a cork stopper, and the fact that this was her deadly weapon made her wonder why she had ever gotten into this in the first place. She headed out the door when she ran into Nino.

"Hey, Kara! Oh, I'm so jealous of you! You get to go on a mission. I've always wanted to go on a mission but mother never lets me. She doesn't think I'm ready. I wish she would teach me more spells."

There was a short pause while Nino caught her breath from the long-winded statement, and then she spoke again.

"Well, I hope you do a good job. I'm rooting for you."

Kara gave Nino her thanks and entered Legault's room one last time before leaving. She had a question for him. She knocked on his door.

"It's Kara."

"Come in," said Legault questioningly.

"I had one more question to ask you before I go. After I poison this wicked man, how do I get out?"

"Well," said Legault, the easiest way is to go out the main gate, no matter how you came in. Nobody suspects you that way."

"If you insist," said Kara. "You are the master thief."

And with that, she left. She went over the plan that Legault had discussed with her until she was certain that it was ingrained in her mind. Then, feeling, if only a slightly, more confident, she left the Black Fang fortress and headed through the mountain paths she had followed with Frenches back to the road.

Chapter 24

Sillac followed the footsteps of Lyn until he reached a small village on the lush outskirts of the territory of Caelin. Sillac entered the village to find the market abuzz with rumors, and to his surprise, something very much like fear.

Sillac searched the crowd until he found a likely-looking man. Sillac bought himself a drink and sat down. He had noticed throughout his travels that the best way to find things out was to be inconspicuous and listen. And sure enough, his patience was rewarded by the appearance of another man, who sat down at the table, almost as soon as the man was within hearing distance, they appeared to resume what had been a rather heated debate. Sillac missed the first couple words, but when he heard their argument, he tuned his ears to them.

"No, I say! I don't believe it. Lundgren would never poison his own brother!"

"Ah, my friend, given the Marquess's present condition, I would hope that he is not being poisoned either. However, there seems to be no other explanation. But do us a favor and don't mention anything aloud here in public. Perhaps we would be better off at my house?"

"Nah. I don't have the time. But before I go, I would like to ask about that girl that came traipsing through here. Claimed to be the daughter of Lord Helman, she did. And get this. Sir Wallace went with her to help her to support her claim!"

"Sir Wallace? Hahaha! Not a chance. You lie!"

"No, my friend, it's the truth. I have it on good account from an eyewitness, a guard that was at a tavern a little while ago. He was from Pherae. His young Lord helped convince Laus and Thira and all those other countries to remain neutral in this war. I forget what he said the name of his Lord was, though."

"Ah, it doesn't matter. But even with Wallace, does that girl and her motley crew really stand a chance against the entire Caelin army?"

"I wouldn't make any wagers in public, now, but I do think that she may have a chance."

"That would be a good thing now, wouldn't it?"

And then the two men walked away, leaving to go back to their homes. Sillac, satisfied with his information, asked the bartender which road he should take to visit his brother at the Castle. Then, he set off, praying to the goddess that Lyn would survive her final confrontation with the remainder of the Caelin army.

Chapter 25

"Now, I am fairly unfamiliar with the nature magics, so please give me at least some background on how it works. And tell me how dark magic works too, while you're at it."

"Well," said Aemun, "to cast a nature spell, you must first study the substance you wish to cast. If you wish to make a storm, you must study a storm, and read and learn about storms. Then, you use words of power to summon the nature magic. Most people require books of magic to be able to cast, as saying the words of power causes you to forget them. I don't forget the words of power after I say them, though. You have to focus the energy that comes with the words of power out through your body, and direct it at your target. Dark magic, on the other hand, is much more dangerous. When using the elder magic, you must allow the darkness to seize a part of your body. When you do this, you risk losing yourself to the darkness. However, it is very powerful, and it give me the power of foresight, even when I do not desire it. When the darkness enters you, you can then redirect the darkness toward a target, but only if you are strong enough to control it. Light magic, on the other hand, I do not understand. What medium do you use to channel the energy? With anima magic, you use the mind. With elder magic, you use the body. What else is there to use as a channel for the energy?"

"Why the soul, of course!" said Patrick indignantly. "If that is your problem, the you do not have much faith in the goddess, correct me if I am wrong."

"No, you are correct. I grew up under the goddess, but I never saw any proof…."

"And that, Aemun, is why the energy fails to leave you. You must have faith in the goddess. She alone will allow the power of sacred magic to flow through you. Open your mind to the possibility, and see what happens. Remember, the goddess is a part of you. Allow the energy to flow through the part of you that is her. Then, follow my motions with your body. Ready?"

Aemun nodded, trying to disregard years of superstition and doubt, and let it be replaced by open-mindedness, something that he had consistently been unable to do throughout his life. Was he really ready for this?

"One, two, three!" shouted Patrick, and the small little channel of faith that Aemun had allowed to open responded to his call, and a righteous burst of power went through his veins. All things around him seemed to slow, and the light around him was almost tangible. He was controlling it! He sent the bolt towards a small rock off in the distance, and let the energy come roaring out of him. The boulder splintered with an earth-shattering crash. Aemun looked at Patrick, who had a look of incredible shock on his face."

"That was absolutely amazing. I've never seen any power like that before. You must be incredibly gifted. Please, you have to come with me to……"

Then, Aemun hit the ground, writhing in pain as a vision hit him.


	12. Part XII

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Kara had almost reached her destination. Once again, she reviewed the first stages of the plan. She was to wait until the party was already in full swing. Then, she was to sneak in through any window that she could reach without being seen. Then, after sneaking into the party, she was to poison the foul man's glass. She wasn't yet sure how she was going to do it. She just thought that she would improvise. She pitched her tent slightly off the path, as she didn't want to be seen. The less people who knew that she was here, the better off that she was. She knew that Legault trusted her instincts, or she wouldn't be here, so she should trust them too. She lay down and went immediately to sleep, conscious that she would need all of her energy and focus for the next day.

When Kara woke up, she snapped immediately into focus. She cleaned up her camp and headed toward the castle. Later, as she looked back on this incredible event, she could hardly believe what she was capable of. When she reached the castle, she hid in a small ditch covered by some underbrush. As the sun rose behind her, which covered her from sight, she watched the guard patrols. After about an hour, she had completely mapped out the paths of all of the patrols. She timed her run, and when she saw the opportunity, she took it, she reached the castle walls without being seen, and once again she hid herself, this time crouched in a dark corner beneath a tree in the edge of the castle garden. Once again, she surveyed her surroundings. The only door anywhere near her location was the entrance to the nearby guard barracks, which was definitely dangerous and most certainly locked. Kara realized, much to her dismay, that she was now at a disadvantage. If she tried to make a dash for the door, she would certainly be seen. She thought quickly and guessed at her chances. It was too early to be caught, and then Legault's trust in her would have been seriously misplaced. She had to do this right. At that moment, Kara decided two things. First, that she would not have to count on luck ever again, and second, that her plan was worth a shot. She climbed the tree that she was hiding under, and waited for the next set of guards to pass, and then jumped to a small, nearly unnoticeable break in the wall from years of weathering that could be used as a handhold. Trusting her­­­ life to her fingers, she jumped for the handhold. She caught it, and then rapidly scrambled up the rest of the wall. Once inside the battlements, she jumped down to the empty inner courtyard. It was a strange sight. The marble fountains in the center were empty, but the flowers grew beautifully. There were dead patches of grass in some places, and perfectly groomed places in others. She didn't know what to make of it. She decided against trying to pit her wits against the mystery, and instead looked for a door. She found a likely looking one, and entered the party, and unbeknownst to her, the original Whodunit, which became a legendary story in across the continent of Elibe for ages to come.

Chapter 27

At last, Sillac could see the walls of castle Caelin. He knew that it was still a bit of a journey, but having a visible target to aim for made him hopeful, and refueled his burnt-out adrenaline. He started to follow the path to the castle across the river, following the massice cluster of tracks that was a combination of years of travelers and the recent stomping by Lyn and her companions. After he crossed the bridge, he began to look for signs of the battle that he expected to have happened. Arrows in a tree here, some fire-scorched grass there, these were the only signs that he saw of the previous battle. Sillac continued down the road until he reached the outskirts of a village. Some of the commoners were outside, removing the stagnant bodies of an occasional dead Caelin soldier. Not eager to sensitize his body to the wonders of bodily decay, Sillac opted to take a side trail through the forest, expecting much more pleasant things there in terms of scent. Much to his surprise, he found an entire company of cavalry littered between the trees. Sillac sat down by a small pond to get a drink and to refill his waterskins. As he looked at his reflection, he saw that his clothes were tattered and small, his face and hair disheveled, and that he had almost grown a full-length beard. Sillac took the opportunity to shave with his dagger, so that he at least looked like more than a murderous vagabond when he reached the castle. He then headed south out of the woods toward the guar towers on the outskirts of the castle. As he reached the towers, he began to see people. This group of people was one of the strangest that he had ever seen. He was a young cleric who flirted with three of the men in the group, none of who were near her age, before Sillac had even passed alongside of them. Then, something caught his eye. He saw the most beautiful blond girl that he had ever seen in his life. She flowed with an effortless grace, and it struck Sillac so much that it was a moment before he noticed that she wore the robes of a monk. Sillac then thought to himself that she must be very strange and confused, and averted his eyes. He saw two brightly armored knights talking to a young archer. Sillac looked around, but he saw no sign of the young plainswoman. He made an educated guess that the two knights were the same ones that Gregor had told him about. As he approached the three soldiers, the people around the castle began to take notice of him. When he came nearer to the door, the archer nodded his head lightly back toward him. The two knights responded by drawing their, as Sillac saw, very bloody and well-worn weapons, and taking positions in front of the door. The knight in the red armor addressed him.

"What is your business here?"

"I am here to see Lyn."

"A great many people want to see Lyn right now. She's a hero. She saved her grandfather, and freed the people from Lundgren's tyranny. However, Lundgren sent an assassin, would have killed Lyn had he gotten near her. How do I know that you won't do the same? What reason can you give me to trust you?"

"Ask your lady if she would speak to me about a mutual acquaintance of ours. I can tell you his name if need be. "

"Do tell me."

"I came to ask about a member of her tribe, a man named Oji."

"Her entire tribe was killed. If you seek this man, he is probably burned or in a grave."

"I knew about her tribe. I've been following you ever since you left Bulgar, which is where I heard about her in the first place."

"You tracked us all the way from Bulgar? Impressive. But dangerous. You must be a rather skilled in woodcraft, and with that sword you carry."

"The man Oji taught me everything that I know about the sword. Please, I must speak with Lyn!"

"Very well. I will ask her if she would see you."

The knight opened a door, and then immediately disappeared behind it and barred it shut. The two remaining men moved off to the side and began to whisper to each other, occasionally casting glances his way. Sillac sat in silence, waiting for the door to reopen, to see if the labors of his journey would bear fruit. Finally the knight reopened the door and beckoned him to follow. Sillac went inside, trembling with anticipation.


	13. Part XIII

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Aemun awoke several minutes later. His body felt drained from the new magic and from the vision. He struggled to get to his feet. Then, realizing what he had just seen, jumped immediately into action.

"Patrick!" he shouted. "Your Lord, where is he?"

Patrick's response to his question was a scratch on the head. "Huh?" he asked, the mark of a very well educated man in a confusing situation.

"Your Lord, my vision, he is in terrible danger!"

"How much danger could he be in?" asked Patrick skeptically. "He's in that house over there. What could possibly happen to him in a well-built house?"

Aemun didn't stay long enough for him to reply. Despite his fatigue, he sprinted over to the door of the house, and, using a powerful burst of wind, pushed a noble looking brute out of the middle of the room, where he sat polishing his axe. A moment later, the entire ceiling fell down to the floor, and a large spike of wood impaled itself on the chair where the man had been sitting just moments before.

The entire room was silent, staring in shock at the thin, road-weary mage that had just wandered in and saved their Lord's life before one of the guards decided that some form of action in the current situation was prudent. The said guard's chosen course of action, however, was to grab Aemun's arm and twist it painfully behind his back.

"Who are you?" demanded the guard. "Are you an assassin? Speak, damn you!"

"Easy there," said Patrick. "After all, what way is that to treat a hero?"

"He could be an assassin!" responded the guard indignantly.

"I know better," replied Patrick. "I was just talking with him a moment ago. He is a friend, I believe. And his incredible magic prowess has just saved Lord Hector's life. Let go of him."

The soldier glanced around, and then at the wave of a hand from the man with the axe, whose name was obviously Hector, let go of his arm, which was followed by a sigh of relief from Aemun.

"Magic, eh? I don't understand you types. I only keep Patrick around because Oswin highly encourages me to. Bah. I wasn't expecting that. I guess I owe you my thanks though. You did just save my life."

"My Lord, if I may be so bold, this young boy is the most talented mage I have ever seen. He is quite proficient in all three of the magical arts."

Hector blinked, the universal body language for "What?"

Patrick rephrased himself. "This boy's talent is akin to a soldier who can wield an axe, a sword, and a lance at that age. And he saved your life with a vision. This boy must be taken to Ostia to study."

"I agree with Patrick, my Lord," came a soft, powerful voice from the entrance of the door. In the doorway stood a man who might as well have been a giant. He wore the largest suit of armor that Aemun had ever seen. He had a large chin, and a well-chisled body that came from years of service in that same armor, which itself was covered in memoirs of previous and untold battles.

"You too, Oswin? Alright then, mage, what is your name?"

"I am Aemun, sir."

"Good. If it pleases you, then I hereby extend to you a formal invitation to study magic in Ostia." There was a slight pause while Aemun thought his decision over, but his thoughts were rudely interrupted when Hector again began to speak. "What, didn't I do that right, Oswin? Are you coming with us or not?"

"Peace, Hector. Well, boy, how about it? You will learn things there that you never dreamed possible."

"Very well then. I graciously accept your invitation."

"See, Lord Hector, why can't you do that? For all of the time that goes into teaching you manners, you don't seem to retain it very well."

And then they strode out the door bickering and growling at each other the whole way. Patrick chuckled to himself and shook his head before heading out the door, beckoning Aemun to follow him.

Chapter 29

Kara entered the party with the thought that she would be the only one to leave with her sanity. She knew what she had to do. First, she would create a distraction outside, causing the guards to lock the doors. Then, she would slowly make her way to the life of the evil man who hated the Fang. First, a distraction. She decided that the easiest way to cause a distraction was with fire. Now, the hard part was getting the fire outside without leaving herself. She pondered her current predicament, before she had a brilliantly simple idea. "Why not just set fire to the upper floors of the castle? That way, everyone will go downstairs until the get the blaze contained. That will be the perfect opportunity to strike. Besides, I have an advantage. I'm just a young girl. I'm the last person anybody would suspect." With that, she began to decide how to disguise herself. She wandered the back hallways of the castle, avoiding the guards by keeping in the shadows and ducking into adjacent hallways when necessary, until she found a door standing slightly ajar, and in it were several conveniently laid out uniforms for servants to the cook. She took one of the uniforms and then waited for someone to enter the room. About fifteen minutes passed before anyone wandered to the secluded corner of the castle that led to the basement. She hid behind the door, grabbed a large wooden broom, and waited. Then, when the unsuspecting servant entered, she took the handle of the broom and smashed it with such force upon his neck that the handle broke. With that, she left the unfortunate servant lying there to wake up to a very unfortunate headache.

Then, she began to set her plan into action. She went down the hall until she found some bedrooms. She entered a room, lit all of the candles, and the knocked one over on the bedsheets. She hurried quickly back downstairs to the party, and then, when she noticed the smell of smoke, she leaned over toward one of the other servants and said,

"Hey, do you smell anything?"

The other servant sniffed the air for a moment. "Yeah, I do. I hope the cook didn't burn anything. The master wouldn't like that at all."

"Yeah, I hope nothing's burning in the kitchens either. I was just supposed to sit up here until the guests wanted something to drink."

"Well, you got off eas…..wait a minute! It smells stronger now! By St. Elimine, I think there's a fire!" Then, Kara noticed her originally small pyrotechnics making their way down the stairs. She widened her eyes to give the appearance of fear, which did a fair job of covering her secret delight that her plan was working. Now, the part that she hadn't worked out yet. How to make sure that her target ended up in the dungeon, where she could get to him. She saw a nearby bucket, which she supposed was filled with water, until she got up close and saw that it was oil. Thoughts of fire raced through her head, and she said to the guard, "I'll get some more help. You try to put the fire out."

Just as she had thought, the man immediately went for the nearest bucket, which happened to be the one filled with oil. Then, the man released the incredibly flammable liquid, expecting to quench the flames. Needless to say, at the beginning of the next chapter, he would be lethally disappointed.


	14. Part XIV

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The red knight led Sillac down a long passageway, past several dungeons, and then finally to the throne room. He took her through the throne room and a little farther back until they came to a small bedroom door. The knight knocked twice before a strong but tired female voice said, "Come in."

Sillac entered the room and laid eyes on the most striking young Sacaen girl he had ever seen. She had green hair, tied behind her in a pony tail, and a long blue and yellow dress that spilt at the sides. She gestured for Sillac to take a seat, and then took a deep breath before she sat down herself.

"You wish to know about Oji, formerly of the Lorca tribe, correct?" she said stolidly.

"Formerly?" he questioned, hoping that this did not mean that Oji was dead.

"He was asked to leave our tribe. When he left on his quest to become a master swordsman, we did not expect to see him back for some time. Then, several years later, he unexpectedly arrived, followed by several men tailing him. If it were not for my father's bravery, the entire village would have most certainly been killed. After that horrid episode, Oji was kicked out of our village, and asked never to return. That was shortly before the village was attacked…"

Her voice trailed off, occupied elsewhere, so Sillac sat patiently, waiting for her to come back down to earth.

"Why are you still here?" she demanded. "What else do you need to know?"

"I wish to know where he went. He stayed in my village in Ilia for many years, and he taught me all that I know about the sword. Please! I must know where he went. What do you know?"

"When Oji left, he said that he was going west, to Lycia, to redeem his honor. We all scoffed, but if he survived, then he may well be living a quiet life in Lycia somewhere. More than that, I do not know."

Sillac was rather disappointed with the lack of information, but it was all that he had to go on. However, he was determined to leave this place as informed as possible. However, before he could ask any more questions, Lyn spoke again.

"Talk to one of the knights if you wish to know more. They have lived here much longer than I have."

She left the room, and the red knight took this as his cue to escort Sillac out of the room and back to the side door. Along the way, Sillac decided that this was one of the knights that Lyn had spoken of, and he asked him where he would be most likely to find a great swordsman.

"Your best bet would be in Ostia, I believe. Swordsmen there are often employed as trainers for their knights. Either look there or in the arena. Whatever you do, do be careful. Milady Lyn is very tired, as am I. She cared very much about what you had to say, regardless of her reaction. Her grandfather is close to death, and she is taking on all of the responsibilities of running a country. Please do not judge her at this moment."

"Thank you, sir knight. Do you have a name?"

"Yes. My name is Kent. Fare thee well."

"And you too. Thank you for your hospitality."

So Sillac, finally armed with the knowledge that Oji was residing somewhere in Lycia, had a place to search. He stayed the night at an inn in the neighboring village, and then left first thing the next morning for Ostia.

Chapter 31

Aemun and Patrick spoke about many things as they walked along the road to Ostia, though most of it was trivial. However, Aemun did teach Patrick a little bit about magic.

"Aemun, answer me this. I know that anima magic gets more powerful as the mind of the user learns words of power and studies the substance in nature. I know that the power of elder magic increases as the user opens their body to the darkness. I know that the power of light magic grows stronger when you open your soul to faith in Elimine. But what I do not know is what happens when you use anima and dark magic. Tell me, what does it feel like?"

"You have asked an interesting question. Neither of them feel anything like using light magic. The righteous burst of power is not there. You feel a convergence of sorts, of all of the study and training that you have done, finally reaching its zenith when you let loose the power of nature's fury. This is probably why anima users seem to do so much better against light magic, because we are not doing something that can be seen as inherently evil. But then, even stronger than anima magic is dark magic. By letting the forces of darkness into you, you can attain power greater than any anima magic could ever hope to grant. However, this can come at a great price, as I am sure that you already know."

Patrick nodded in reply. They continued to walk down the road in silence for a while, and then Hector shouted that is was time to take a break for a meal. Aemun helped Patrick unload the places, and then they began to speak again, this time about Ostia.

"I must confess," said Aemun, "I have never been to this large of a city before. I lived in a small village in southern Ilia, on the border of the mountains there. What is it like?"

"Ostia is an incredible place," said Patrick. "There are enough streets to go exploring for years, and by the time you have seen it all, everything will have changed. The school of magic is impressive, and it is taught by some of the foremost mages in Etruria. Sometimes, the Mage General himself even comes. I don't know what he sees in his student though. You seem to be better than he is."

"What else is at the school? Tell me all about it."

"Some of it you will just have to wait and see for yourself. It is beyond description. However, I do have some friends there. One is another monk like myself, named Jacob. The other….well, her name is Laurana… You'll just have to meet her. With her around, everything is always…interesting, to say the least."

Aemun's mind was already gone from the road, dreaming of a fantastic place full of magic that he had never been to. New things awaited him, that much he knew. As he thought, he realized that this was probably the reason why they were forced to leave home to make their own way in Elibe in the first place. He had already seen more in his first few weeks of travels then he had seen in his hometown for almost his entire life. Aemun grew up a little bit that day. But the real surprises waited for him at the Ostian School of Magic.

As promised to my one very loyal reader, Derra (w00t), there will be some hopefully vivid pyrotechnics at the beginning of this chapter.

Chapter 32

Kara watched the guard, almost drooling in anticipation of the destruction that was to follow. Replayed in her mind in slow motion, the guard grabbed the bucket, his brow lined with the wrinkles of duty. He took majestic strides toward the already large blaze. He slid to a halt just a few feet short of the blaze. He turned the bucket almost sideways. His weight shifted back and then let loose the bucket of oil.

The oil traveled in a graceful arc. It came nearer and nearer to the blaze. The guard never knew what hit him. The flames instantly snaked themselves up the oil, consuming first the air, then the bucket, before causing a beautifully violent explosion that sent what was left of calm in the room into utter chaos. Kara kept a level head, and looked for her target.

She saw the man standing in the middle of the room, unsure of what to do. Guests everywhere were panicking. Kara took advantage of the mob and shouted, "To the dungeons! We'll be safe there!" The handful of people around her, which included her target, immediately moved toward the dungeon. Kara grinned in satisfaction. She let some of the others lead the way. By the time they got to the dungeon, there were six people who had managed to keep up.

Kara had planned out the next stages of her scheme. First, she had to get them all into the dungeon and then lock the door. The first part went well. Everybody got into the dungeon just fine. Then, she locked the door, being careful not to make it noticeable. Then, she headed down the stairs to complete her mission.

They all sat down around the small mess hall that was in the dungeon. They went around to introduce themselves. The first was her target. She already knew all that there was to know about him. He was a dead man. The second was a small old lady. She was the godmother of her target's recently assassinated brother. Her name was Sil. Then, there was a soldier who had been in Bern's army for many years, whose name was Jarid. The next was Kara. She introduced herself as a kitchen servant who had followed her master. Then, there was a middle-aged couple who were somehow related to one of the guests of honor at the dinner.

Kara didn't really bother with them. She was focused on her target. She would have killed him right then and there if it hadn't been for that damned ex-soldier. For now, she decided to wait until someone discovered that there was a locked door. She asked her master if she could do anything, but her master said that he had nothing that she needed to do. She sat back and waited for the fun to begin.


	15. Part XV

Chapter 33

Sillac arrived in Ostia about a week after he met with Lyn. The trip was uneventful, and he began his search for Oji. He began to ask around town about a Sacaen swordsman. No one seemed to know anything, so Sillac decided to go to the only other place that a swordsman could earn a living, the arena.

Ostia was huge. The arena was even bigger, comparitively. Thousands of sreaming, bloodthirsty peasants clawed their way up the stands each day to see two men brutally maim each other. Sillac did not approve of such behavior, but it was a way to earn a living, especially if you were light on your feet. In one on one combat, the faster person almost always beat the stronger one. Sillac gathered this information after about three rounds. It didn't look too difficult, he decided, and if you were close to death, you could yield. Sillac almost decided to bet on a match, until he realized that he didn't have enough money to place a bet. He was dangerously low on money.

"Well, I must be here today for a reason. It doesn't really seem right, but…"

So Sillac went up to a muscular man with a moustache and asked what he needed to do to compete.

"You?" asked the man, as though Sillac were joking. "Such a wiry little fella! Haha! They'll eat you alive in there!"

Sillac waited patiently as the man went into a dissertation on just exactly how the other warriors in the arena would go about eating him, and all of the nasty ways in which his body would be destroyed. After he was certain that the man had finished, Sillac once again spoke up.

"What do I need to do to compete?"

"Well," said the burly man, "go in, kill somebody, come out, and get the money for winning. Easier said than done though, boy."

The way the man said "boy" made Sillac instantly defiant.

"Get me a match," he demanded.

"If you don't want to die, then signal your yield. You probably won't have time to do that though. And if you do have time, you're probably good enough that you won't yield anyway."

The man waited for a minute, and then a huge roar came from the arena. The man sent Sillac in, leaving him with some words of parting.

"Don't come back in pieces, kid!"

Sillac was steaming.

"Sarcastic asshole. That was Aemun in a warrior's body. And why does everybody call me boy? I'm seventeen, for goodness sakes."

However, the opening of a large, rusty iron gate in front of him suddenly interrupted Sillac's thoughts. He walked out of the tunnel, and a huge burst of noise and light momentarily caused his senses to overload. When his eyes adjusted to the light again, he saw a man standing in the middle of the arena who, foolishly, in Sillac's opinion, wore no armor and carried only two razor-sharp war axes.

Sillac almost laughed. He wasn't about to come back in pieces. This was going to be almost too easy. The man began to circle him, coming closer each step. Sillac waited, waited, waited, and then swung.

The blow struck home, lacerating the man's torso because of his lack of armor. The man tried to counterattack, but to no avail. Sillac easily evade the swings of the twin weapons.

Then, as Sillac charged to strike again, the man signaled his yield before passing out.

The crowd exploded in bloody delight. Sillac basked in their admiration.

"I could get used to this," he thought.

Chapter 34

Kara knew that she didn't have too much time before someone came looking for her Target. She worked quickly. She began to use the small stove to cook. She had to make sure to make the soup right, or else it would counter the poison.

She finished cooking, and gave the soup to the Milace. Then, when she was sure everyone else was asleep, she crept slowly out of the dungeon and left the castle, as Legault had suggested, through the main gate as the guards slept at their posts, exhausted and disorganized from the debauchery of the previous hours.

By the end of the week, she had trudged back to the original safehouse, with her mission completed. She arrived very late in the evening. As weariness threatened to overcome her, she saw a familiar face grinning at her.

"Job well done, Kara," said Frenches. "We've been waiting for you."

"We?" she asked.

"Legault and I," he replied. "he has another assignment, this time for both of us!"

"Another one?" she cried out indignantly. "I just got back!"

"Well, did fabulously, and on your own too! I never would have guessed you could pull it off that easily. But you were in and out. The rumors are flying as to how the man died."

Frenches just smiled as he allowed himself to bask in the justice that had been dealt. Kara had to admit, it was hard not to condone this life when people abused their power. She had enjoyed the feeling that she had helped people by simply giving justice to a man who thought he was above the law.

"Come on," said Frenches. "Let's go find Legault."

They went inside and up the stairs, and then followed the corridor to the end of the hall. Frenches knocked on the door on the right. They were beckoned in, and Legault finished writing on a piece of parchment. He put his quill down and looked up.

"Ah, Kara, well done. You have dispensed the Fang's justice well. No more will those two brothers trouble our souls and the people whom we serve. Also, you have proven yourself both to me and to your comrades."

He paused, so Kara assumed that she was supposed to say something.

"Thank you, sir," she replied.

"In light of your excellent performance, I have another assignment for you. If you are ready, that is."

"Of course I am. What is the assignment?"

She had almost requested a few days off, but that seemed like the wrong thing to do.

"It will be much longer than the previous one," said Legault.

Of course it was going to be longer. The last one only lasted two days, minus travel time.

"You will be doing intelligence," he continued. "Tell me what you know of Lycia."

"Not too much," admitted Kara. "I just know the basics. It's a league of countries, each of which is ruled over by a Lord. The head of all of the countries is Ostia. That is where my knowledge stops."

Legault nodded in approval.

"That's enough for the time being. Your partner will fill you in on the way."

"Partner?"

"Yes, your friend Frenches. I figured that…"

Legault trailed off as someone knocked on his door., and rather urgently.

"Come in," the thief said slowly.

The door burst open, and a very distraught Nino came stumbling into the room, eyes full of tears.

"Uncle Legault, a…_sniffle_…. report just came in from Ursula. Bernard failed, and took his life, and… Well… Oh, Frenches, I'm sorry," and she ran back down the hall, sobbing the whole way.

"Wait a minute. My brother was under… Bernard's…."

He snatched the report away from Legault. Among the cold, emotionless numbers and data from the mission, he found what he was looking for: the casualty list. And, sure enough, he saw the name Heinz, scribbled in black ink. The color drained from his face as though he were deathly ill. The report lowered in his hands, as if the strength to hold such an earth shattering document had left him.

Frenches left the room, looking every bit as deceased as his brother. He mumbled an excuse me, and left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.

Well, that was certainly unexpected," said Legault, as even his dry, stoic demeanor failed to mask the grief he shared for his subordinate. "Go get some rest, and enjoy this family while it lasts. Ah, what's this world coming to?"

Legault shook his head sadly, and sat back in his chair, resuming his work. Kara went away slowly, with thoughts moving through her head, about Frenches, and about Legault's statement.


	16. Part XVI

Chapter 35

When the majestic, feudal city of Ostia entered his vision for the first time, Aemun was truly awestruck. He had never in his life seen such a large an dbustling city. The castle was bigger than any building he had ever seen. A battalion of knights stood in formation near the back of the palace.

They began some sort of training exercise, which they continued long after Aemun's interest had wandered, if the loud noise and ruckus was any indication. All of his senses were prodded and tingled by the great city in some way. Compared to Ostia, even Bulgar was an anthill. The city was definitely militant and industrial. The heavy clang of hammers and steel and iron combined with the scent of the smelting of iron ore gave the entire place a factory feel, but people still clamored about the streets, and the majestic arena towered over the west side of the city. He would have stayed there for hours and stared, but Patrick spoke.

"I remember the first time I saw it, too. I grew up in the Western Isles. My parents were… pirates, for lack of a better word. I loved our life, though. I loved being at sea, and I loved our ship. It was called the _Nightfang_. I was ten when I first saw this city. Unfortunately, it had a high price."

He paused for a moment, struggling to voice his memory.

"We had been doing very well, and we had just gotten new sails and cannons. The entire crew was looking for a fight. We found one, some ship called the _Darvos_. We never stood a chance. We attacked them. They repelled us, and sank our ship. I floated for days on a piece of driftwood until an Ostian trade ship found me."

"What happened to your parents," Aemun probed cautiously, uneager to bring up a painful subject, but his curiosity too great to ignore.

"My father was killed in the battle. My mother saw him die. She…"

Patrick choked back tears.

"She just drew her knife and…"

Neither of them spoke for a moment. Aemun, ill disposed to continue talking about such a painful subject, carefully changed topic.

"So, wait… Why aren't you in an Eliminian orphanage? You don't look like you're eighteen yet."

Patrick wiped his face off before continuing.

"I was going to be. On that trade ship, there was a traveling monk. At that point, I was completely distraught. I didn't move at all, mostly, and I didn't eat unless someone brought me food. I just sat in the corner and cried. The monk took care of me, and told me about St. Elemine's teachings. It was comforting. When we arrived, I asked him if I could become a monk. He agreed, and brought me to a monastery. There, they discovered that I had great aptitude for magic, so they sent me here."

"How did you end up working for that Lord Hector," he asked, as they walked mast the middle of downtown, past the palace, and onward toward what Aemun thought looked like an ornate enough building to house magicians of all sorts.

"Part of the training for mages here," he said shortly. "Most of us either take up escort duty or join a group of mercenaries. I was lucky enough to be allowed to train by guarding Lord Hector for a while. That was actually the end of my time with him, after we got back. I'll have to go back out again fairly soon, though."

Suddenly, they heard a voice behind them.

"Hey, Patrick! Who's that guy?" rang a strangely feminine voice, despite her tone.

"Laurana! Are you at least going to say hello to me before you start being rude new friends?" he asked mockingly.

"Whatever," she replied dismissively, before cracking a very large grin, full of perfect teeth.

"Anyway," continued Patrick, "This is Aemun. He is going to join the School. He's incredible. He can use all three branches of magic."

"No way," said another voice, this one deeper and less feminine. "That takes decades of study to even begin to attempt."

"Jacob!" said Patrick excitedly.

"How was guarding our Lord?" Jacob asked, obviously curious.

"It was pretty action-packed, to tell the truth. I'll tell you guys about it later. Besides, Aemun is a big part of that story. Speaking of Aemun, did I mention he can use all three branches WITHOUT tomes?"

Jacob raised his eyebrows, suspect of the truth of Patrick's recent statement.

Laurana decided to take the less subtle route.

"Bullshit," she said simply. "Prove it."

She looked over at him, but Aemun was not sure whether she thought that he would be able to meet her demand or not.

Aemun glanced over at Patrick questioningly. Patrick tilted his head to the side and shrugged his shoulders.

"If you want to."

Aemun began with the most familiar of the magic schools, anima. He focused his mind on fire, on everything he knew about it. Then he recalled the words of power and let loose a pillar of fire.

Laurana and Jacob were obviously impressed with his ability to cast spells without a tome, but as he prepared to demonstrate his abilities further, a man wearing a large, ornate, red robe came out to the front of the gates of the school, where they were standing.

"Are you Aemun?" the man asked in a smooth voice.

"Yes," he replied.

The man nodded.

"Follow me."

Aemun looked over at Patrick once more, and he nodded in encouragement. Aemun followed the man inside.

Chapter 36

Sillac fought in several more matches that day before he faced a tough opponent. The identity of this opponent came as quite a shock, as well as great stroke of luck.

When Sillac entered the stadium, he saw the man's back. He wore the robes of a Sacaen swordsman.

"Good," thought Sillac. "I've been waiting all day for a challenge. This guy looks better than anyone I've faced so far. But what is up with all of these idiots who don't wear any armor?"

The man continued to look away from Sillac, keeping his back towards him. Sillac began to creep closer to him, careful to keep up his guard. The man did not turn around or react. It was as though he was oblivious to the huge roar of the crowd, and the fact that there was a perfectly capable swordsman behind him, ready to attack!

"This guy is really starting to piss me off!" Sillac thought angrily.

He lost his patience, and charged the man with every intent of ending the match with a single blow. He raised his sword and put his full strength behind a straight downward chop.

The man, still facing backwards, moved his body slightly to his left, causing Sillac's blow to go wide. Shocked by the swordsman's effortless dodge, Sillac backed off rapidly and assumed a much stronger defensive position, at least until he could accurately discover if the Sacaen was beatable or not.

The man turned his head around so that Sillac could see his left eye. Then, he moved, and he moved so quickly that Sillac only saw him get into a stance before the man's blade was in front of him. He moved like a ghost, a lightning-fast ghost, and was back to his original position. He stayed there for a moment before moving again, and this time the sword edge rested on the back of his neck, in between the break in his armor. One more rush of movement and one futile attempt at a block later, Sillac found the point of a sword merely an inch from his face.

However, the man stayed still long enough for Sillac to catch a glimpse of his face. He nearly dropped his sword right there.

"No way did I find him that easily," he thought.

(Don't worry. The Omnipotent-Thrid-Person-Author can't either)

At that moment, Sillac heard the man's voice, which sealed his judgment of the swordmaster's identity.

"You've been keeping up with your training, I see. Regardless, you should yield. I may have taught you everything you know, but I didn't teach you everything I know."

And so, Sillac signaled his yield, eager to catch up with his old friend and teacher.


	17. Part XVII

Chapter 37

Kara wandered the halls for a long time, looking for Frenches. She thought that she had checked everywhere. He wasn't in his room, in the mess hall, in the training rooms, or in the common area.

Then, while she looked up and down the fortress, she saw a light flickering beneath the door of an unused room far down one of the basement hallways. She walked over to it cautiously, and knocked.

"Frenches?"

"Huh? Who's there?"

A red-eyed Frenches opened the door.

"Oh, Kara, it's you. Come in."

He sat down in a chair on the side of the room and picked up the mission report he had been reading, which was now almost illegible from the teardrops all over the parchment. He looked at it thoroughly, and shook his head.

"I don't understand this, Kara. This is the strangest assignment report I've ever seen. It mentions our casualties, which were very heavy, and the opponent casualties, which were nonexistent. But it doesn't mention anything about the mission itself. It doesn't mention the item of great value. It makes me upset. I have no idea why my brother died, or what he was fighting for, and I want to know. I must know."

He sighed wearily, the sigh of a man who has no more tears to cry.

Kara was moved with pity for her good friend, and she put her arm gently around his shoulder.

"How about we ask Legault if you can give him a proper burial when we are on our way into Lycia for out next assignment? Would that help to put your mind at rest?"

Frenches looked up, the frown gone from his face for the first time that night since they saw Legault.

"That it would. Thank you, Kara. I'll go talk to him in the morning. Did he ever finish briefing you?"

"No. He said he would come and find me later."

"All right," he said through a yawn. "I think I'll get some rest now. Good night, Kara. And thank you."

Kara smiled, feeling that it was best to say nothing.

She set off toward her own bedroom, glad she had been able to do something to comfort her friend. She went back to her room and waited for Legault to return.

Chapter 38

Aemun followed the silver-haired man with the ornate red robes into the magic school. He took Aemun down into a sizeable room with a very tall ceiling. It was relatively unadorned, except for a series of targets and other objects at the opposite end of the long, corridor-like room.

"Aemun," the sage began, "may I be the first to officially welcome you to the Ostian School of Magic. I am Count Reglay of Etruria, though most people here know me as Lord Pent. You may also call me Mage General. I am going to be your placement supervisor today, meaning that I will be testing your proficiency in the arcane arts. Now, first things first: What branch of magic do you use?"

"All of them," replied Aemun dryly, looking Pent directly in the eyes.

He raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Hmm, if you say so. Now, over there on that table are magic tomes of all sorts. Choose the one you are most familiar with."

"I don't need tomes, sir," replied Aemun, more respectfully this time.

"Well then, young Aemun, would you care to show me your mastery? Hit the middle target with a thunderbolt."

Aemun rolled up his sleeves and smirked. This was going to be too easy. He focused his mind on all that he knew about the nature of lightning. He recalled the words of power, and bent the conjured bolt of electrical force to his will.

The thunderbolt struck home with incredible force. The resulting crack of thunder sent a shockwave through the room, which knocked all of the tomes off of the table and sent them flying. Pent casually raised his arm to cover himself from the onslaught of books.

"Well done. Your technique needs some work though. You lack control. Is this the most advanced form of anima magic you have used?"

"No, I am fairly proficient with Elfire. I tried to cast a long-range bolt once, but I didn't get very far. I didn't have enough…"

"Control over the long distance?" asked Pent astutely.

"Yeah."

"Very well."

He paused to scribble a note on his parchment.

"Now, on to light magic. That other target over there, please."

Pent pointed to a slightly nearer target, though one that was much smaller. He crossed his arms across the clipboard and waited.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. An important-looking man gestured at Pent.

"Excuse me please, Aemun. Be ready to go when I return. I won't be a minute."

Aemun took advantage of the interruption to ready himself, opening his soul to the belief that not everything was inside his own ability to accomplish, and he allowed himself to experience humility. He made himself ready, and waited for the Mage General's return.


	18. Part XVIII

Chapter 39

Oji sat his mug down on the table, and it made a loud clanking sound, as he had just drained the last of his drink.

"So, Sillac, tell me, what have you been up to since I left?"

Sillac took a look at Oji, offended for a moment. It was as though he didn't even realize what Sillac had been through to try and find him.

"Oh, that's right!" Sillac thought to himself, feeling bad. "He doesn't know."

So Sillac told Oji the entire story from when they left the village, minus the part where they discovered the tome in the cave. He told Oji about his friend Gregor, much to his delight. ("That old codger is still living? Well, I'll be damned!") Then, he got to Kara's capture. Oji didn't make a move to speak until he was certain that Sillac was finished.

"So, what do you think I should do, Oji?" he asked. "I don't know whether I should go and look for her or wait until the three years are up and hope that she's still alive when I get back home. And what about Aemun? How am I going to find him.

Oji took a deep breath and began.

" Well, I may have a few ideas about how this could work, but it will be risky. I know you can handle yourself, though. Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes, of course," said Sillac, not even pausing to think about it.

"Well then, here's the plan. If Aemun is half the mage a remember that he was, then someone in Lycia will have recognized his talent if he made it here. If he isn't there already, I guarantee that the Ostian School of Magic has heard of him. One of the young acolytes there owes me a favor. I could call that one in. I saved his life when he wandered down a bad alley."

He paused to reorganize his thoughts.

"Do you want to hear the rest?"

"Yes," said Sillac in reply.

"What we do is we go in, say we are mercenaries looking for mages, and we recruit Aemun and hopefully some other mages of the capable sort. Magic can scare off a weak man faster than a sword, and the two of us can handle the strong. Then, we take on any job that has to do with fighting bandits, to see if we can receive some information about Kara. And that is my plan for the time being. What do you think?"

"It seems sound enough," agreed Sillac.

But something was bothering him. The whole thing seemed too simple and straightforward. Before Oji could say anything else, Sillac cut him off.

"Oji, is there something you aren't telling me? This seems too easy."

"In a way, yes. How much did Gregor tell you about my current situation?"

"I know you're running from the Black Tooth, or something like that."

"The Black Fang, yes. I guess that means that he got my letter. That's good. Let me explain why I am in so much danger. There are four assassins that function as generals of the Black Fang. Two of them are brothers, Linus and Lloyd Reed, and they are the sons of the commander, Brendan. Another is a mage named Ursula. Cold, calculating bitch, and totally devoted to the cause. As for the fourth, no one knows his name. He took the place of a psychopath named Jerme a short while ago. People call him the Angel of Death. They say he has no soul."

"Wait!" Sillac interrupted. "What does this have to do with you? Don't tell me that we have to worry about running into these people?"

"No. The problem is, I killed the man that Ursula was training to be her successor, and she didn't like that. So she sent the Hunters after me."

"The Hunters?" asked Sillac.

"All in due time," said Oji. "For now, we need to get home before it gets too dark. We'll visit the School of Magic first thing in the morning.

They set off into the evening. Sillac waited for Oji to speak again, his attention kept rapt in his curiosity about these mysterious hunters.

Chapter 40

Kara sat on the side of her bed, hands to her side. Left to her own devices, she had begun to think about what had happened in the past several weeks. She could scarcely believe that only a while ago she had been in tears because she was so uncomfortable being away from home, and that same night she had been separated from Sillac and Aemun. Kara became worried. She realized that her two best friends since childhood had no idea where she was, or even if she was alive. As far as she knew, they were still searching for her.

A knock at the door interrupted her thoughts. She cracked the door slightly open, and seeing Legault, welcomed him in.

"Did you find him?" Legault inquired.

"Yes," said Kara. "I think he is doing better. He told me that he would talk to you tomorrow."

"That's good," Legault replied. "Are you ready for the rest of your briefing?"

"Yes. You never did mention exactly what I would be doing."

"Ostia's former Lord just recently passed away, and his eldest son has taken the throne. Being the head of all of Lycia, his actions, demeanor, and strength as a ruler are of keen interest to us. Your overall assignment is to discern, through whatever means you deem necessary, if he will jeopardize our operations in Lycia."

"I understand," said Kara, "but how would I go about finding the information? Should I get a job at the palace, befriend someone close to the Lord, or did you have a more specific idea in mind?"

"Employment within the palace or some other sector of Ostia with high influence would be the best way for you to operate. However, if they will not hire you, work near the palace. You need to use your intuition, which I trust."

Kara nodded in acquiescence.

"When should I depart?"

"Take a day of leave, for Frenches' sake, but this is a critical time for intelligence, because the entire political system in Ostia is in flux at the moment. The facades will be easier to see through at the moment, and may possibly be nonexistent."

As Legault flipped through several pieces of paper on his desk, a look of shock and relief spread across his face.

"Oh!" he exclaimed. "I nearly forgot about your cover. You and Frenches will, ironically, have been previously under the employment of a nobleman in Bern whose house and life recently fell victim to arsonists and assassins. You have decided that Bern has become too lawless for your tastes, and so you are moving to Lycia. It would be appropriate for the two of you to act as married, I think."

"This will be interesting," thought Kara grimly, as she made sure that her face did not betray her distaste in her cover.

"Rest and prepare," Legault continued. "You are in southern Bern. It will be a good walk to Ostia."


	19. Part XIX

Chapter 41

Pent re-entered the room with a troubled expression, his brow wrinkled in intense thought. He shook his head and turned towards Aemun.

"I apologize for the delay," he said tersely. "We will continue with your testing. Light magic, correct?"

"Yes," said Aemun, working hard to slow the doubting cogs of his mind and open his faith.

After a more time had elapsed than Aemun felt should be adequate, he felt his mind catch on a sort of velcro hook, and before his skepticism could bar him from magic again, he poured his energy through the small opening. He followed Patrick's motions as he recalled them, and when he felt the righteous power reach its apex, he aimed it at the target.

It connected with a heavy boom, though it went slightly wide. Pent once again made a note on his parchment. Aemun silently cursed himself for his lack of practice.

"Don't worry about it," said Pent, apparently reading his thoughts. "You are doing very well. We can teach accuracy. What we can't teach is affinity. Now, elder magic. As you know, there are possible… side effects… that may be a result of the use of this branch. As it is, we ask that you refrain from the use of any magic you haven't yet mastered."

Aemun nodded in acquiescence. He took a deep breath and began the slow process of opening his body to the darkness. The prospect of losing his soul scared him sometimes, but he knew that he had control of this simple level of magic.

He disengaged his mind's defenses, and invited the elder magic to rest within his body. It was a pact between the subtle darkness and the wielder. In return for its place of residence, the magic granted its user power, and power that yearned to be released.

Aemun began his chant. The black threads of ancient knowledge began to weave themselves into his body. He reached out with his mind and caught them, now using his own willpower to direct the energy.

That was when he noticed the unusual flow of the magic. Normally, the darkness did not cooperate with those who attempted to control it. Now, though, he felt the power growing inside of the dark threads, sharing his desire for its release.

Pent, off to the side after the thunderbolt incident, carefully watched the gifted young mage, impressed. It was hard enough, he knew, to control such magic, but to command it at such a young age was a goal unachievable to most. This was a special boy.

Aemun obliged the ancient magic, and allowed it to flow through his body from his hands. His body glowed with power, and the symbol of the druids appeared beneath his feet. He forced the magic forward with a purpose. It connected and the pact was complete. The magic left him, satisfied at its release. The entranced stare faded from Aemun's eyes. He looked over at Pent expectantly.

"In this test, we base our evaluations on a variety of statistics, including your power, speed, skill, competence, and affinity. First of all, congratulations on one of the best entrance tests this School has seen in a long time. Normally, we would put you in a class with other mages who share your abilities, but as you fit all categories, the best way to hone your skills is in the real world. You have an innately keen understanding of magic, and I do not envy anyone who underestimates what you are capable of."

Pent paused, taking a breath.

"That being said, you will join Jacob, Patrick, and Laurana as they take their first steps into the world as mages. Now, go and find your friends. Patrick will help you acquaint yourself with your surroundings until the school finds an employer suitable for you to work with."

Aemun thanked the Count genuinely, and backtracked through the spectacular hallways until he found the entrance, where Patrick was waiting for him.

"So," he asked, "how did it go?"

Aemun grinned rather uncharacteristically. He was very happy with his results.

Chapter 42

Oji owned a small flat on the outskirts of what appeared to be the industrial sector of Ostia. It was fairly spacious, as Sillac expected. Even with his limited experiences, he knew that a man could make a veritable fortune off of the arena, both from betting and participating. The central room contained a small wooden table, which sat on a hardwood floor. Off in another corner was a marvelous wall full of weapons and armor, which Sillac assumed were trophies of one kind or another.

The two other adjoining rooms included a kitchen, which was slightly messy, and a contrastingly ordered and neat bedroom.

"Welcome to my humble abode," said Oji with a toothy grin and a mock bow, pronouncing the word as uh-boh-dee.

"Make yourself comfortable."

Sillac sat down at one of the chairs at the table in the central room. Oji brought an expensive-looking from his kitchen, and poured a glass for Sillac and himself.

"I almost forgot," thought Sillac, "I'm of age now. I wonder how it tastes? It looks pretty good."

Sillac took the glass, thanked his host, and took a swig of the liquor. He stifled a gag as he swallowed the iridescent liquid, It was much stronger than he had expected. The second time, he tried swallowing a little less than he had the first time, and it didn't burn his throat as much. Sillac and oji continued to talk long into the night, joking and laughing all the while. Sillac, slightly inebriated for the first time in his life, didn't remember to ask about the Hunters.

The next morning, he found himself slouched in one of the chairs in Oji's central room. His head hadn't hurt so badly since he woke up after the bandit attack. He shook himself awake. Oji came into the room looking like a vagabond, completely unshaven and unbathed. He carried a bucket of water, to Sillac's great confusion.

"I would say good morning," he said condescendingly, "but you slept it all away. I was about to wake you up the hard way. Clean yourself up too. We need to look our best for the audience at the School today. I visited this morning to call in my favor. We are expected in two hours."

Oji left the room. Sillac gathered his sleep-scattered consciousness and stood up, shaking the rust from his mind. Oji smiled.

"Good. I was afraid I was going to have to dump this on you. Be read in half an hour. We have a big day ahead of us."

Sillac proceeded to wash himself in a small alcove with a stone floor in the back of Oji's house, enjoying the contrast of the small, grassy backyard to the metallic, industrial grind of Ostia's workers, soldiers, and merchants going about their respective days. He did notice a disappointing lack of wildlife, a sound that Sillac was accustomed to hearing almost all the time, and it unsettled him. Something about it felt unnatural.

Half an hour later, Sillac was dressed in some of Oji's finest clothes, which were a good replacement for the tattered, yet durable, garments which ad covered his back since he left Pacallis. They included a buttoned vest and a doublet, neither of which he had ever worn before. The clothes utterly stifled his movement, and he wondered how anyone could bear to be so uncomfortable.

It was a moderate walk to the School, and Sillac, now sober, hoped that Oji would continue their conversation from the night before, as Sillac didn't remember very much of anything that they talked about after they started drinking the previous night. He felt terrible, and his stomach still hadn't settled. Oji, walking next to him, noticed that his young friend looked a little green. He chuckled to himself, remembering many mornings spent in a similar fashion. As they approached the School, mostly in silence, Oji snapped his fingers, and a previously undiscovered invention known as the lightbulb appeared over his head.

"I almost forgot!" exclaimed Oji. "You don't know who the Hunters are! Forgive me, it must have been on your mind all morning."

Sillac shrugged and grimaced in embarrassed agreement, feeling slightly immature.

Oji waved it off, saying, "Don't worry about it. I would have been doing the same thing too. Where did we stop yesterday?"

"You had just mentioned them, really."

"Ah, I see. Very well then, I'll start from the beginning. The first thing you need to know about the Black Fang is that they are Bern's best kept secret, as far as I know. They are a huge organization, with enough members to contend with most of Elibe's organized armies. They have members of all social classes, and from all areas of Elibe. Any organization that large has enemies, both on the inside and outside. For traitors and insiders, they have a man known as the Hurricane in charge of… I guess you would call it housecleaning.

For their enemies on the outside, the system is a little bit more complex. Most often, individual assassins handle individual or political enemies, and groups of various sizes will handle enemy factions. However, when they find themselves confronted with an enemy like me, someone whose skill level is very high, they send in the Hunters. They are definitely the most skilled group of warriors I have ever fought. Seven soldiers, five men, two women, and they are all very good at what they do. I've only met three, and when I did, I was lucky to escape with my life. The psychotic bitch definitely sticks out from the crowd."

"Who?" questioned Sillac.

"Oh, nothing, just one of them. She's an expert with every weapon, and an outstanding rider on top of that. Her good qualities stop at combat, though. She is… unstable. Though that statement may be biased. She says I slept with her sister."

Sillac raised an eyebrow, a gesture he found himself using more often lately.

"It's possible," said Oji with a shrug. "I had more than my share of women back in the day. But that's not the point. I expect them to find me again before too much longer, especially if you were able to find me with no contacts or other sources. I haven't been here more than a few months. It will be good for me to start moving again."

"They sound fierce," said Sillac, "especially if they are able to contend with a swordsman like you."

"I don't wish to sound prideful, but they are what you say, if my encounter was any indication. Which reminds me, your training…"

Sillac's ears perked up slightly.

"…resumes tonight. I wont have you killed when you're working with me, and we have several years of progress we have to make to get you up to speed."

Sillac grinned as they turned the corner of the much busier street, which was when Sillac saw the front door of the School of Magic. A pair of large, purple tapestries bearing the Ostian emblem fluttered in the midday wind, imposing on Sillac's rather small figure below. The two exquisite pieces of material draping over the side of the building added contrastingly vibrant color to the atmosphere of central Ostia.

"Striking, isn't it?" asked Oji rhetorically. "To the more refined man, it's the cultural heart of Ostia. Everybody with any sense knows that the center of Ostia is actually the arena, though," he said, with a grin and an elbow.

Sillac's response was an eloquent, "Wow."

"Come on. Let's see if we cant find ourselves a mage or two. And hopefully Aemun."

Sillac followed Oji up the grandiose steps of the facility, hoping that his good friend would indeed be there.


	20. Part XX

Chapter 43

Kara and Frenches made their way across the plains between the border of Bern and Lycia. It wasn't perfectly flat yet, but Kara's legs no longer burned with fatigue from climbing up and down the mountains of Bern, much to her relief. Also, her breath had returned to her after a prolonged absence, allowing her to converse with her friend, free of drama for the first time since her mission. Her mind had previously been busy with processing, but she found herself wanting in ability to decipher Legault's cryptic quips.

"Frenches?" she asked.

"Yes, Kara?"

"Is Legault always so…"

She struggled for the right word.

"Weird?"

Frenches laughed aloud.

"How do you mean?"

"Well, whenever he finishes a sentence where he's talking about anything having to do with a mission, he trails off and starts sighing. What's the matter with him?"

"He is a pretty depressed person, in general, but it has been worse for a while now. It may be just a phase, but ever since that Sonia showed up, he hasn't been right. She's quite a specimen, but between you and me, she gives me a funny feeling. I think it has something to do with that calculating look she always has in her eyes. It gives me the creeps."

"Sonia… I can't say I recognize the name. How does she figure in?"

"She's Commander Reed's wife, and a deadly mage to boot."

Frenches pursed his lips, brow furrowed in thought.

"She doesn't feel right," he said carefully. "Nothing about her adds up. She is up to something, and it bodes ill for us all."

He scowled grimly.

"Don't worry too much about Legault. He's been with the Black Fang since the Reed family founded it. He's been through all the good and bad."

Kara nodded, satisfied. This Sonia seemed to be a dangerous character. She silently added the woman to her list of people to avoid.

They walked for a little while longer, passing by the occasional traveler or group on the road. Eventually, the sun began to set, and both of their feet were weary. They found a safe place a short distance from the road to make camp, and set up their camp. They ate some of the food that they had packed, and continued to enjoy the pleasant evening. Kara eventually became sleepy, said good night to Frenches, and went to her bedroll. She lay down and looked up at the stars, captivated by the night sky.

She thought about her friends. She wondered where they were, if they were alright, if they were safe, if, if, if, if! She exhaled through her nose sharply. Even here, with her good friend, she felt angry and helpless at her inability to find Sillac and Aemun. She hated the feeling of distress that had come over her all of a sudden, since she had returned from her mission. Why did she even leave Pacallis in the first place? Nothing good had happened to her since she, Aemun, and Sillac had departed. She had been kidnapped by bandits, joined a group of professional killers, and even killed a man herself. She didn't feel remorse for the man. She knew him for the monster he was, but it still hurt on the inside.

She began to cry, looking up at the silent stars above her. She glanced over at the other bedroll in her camp. Frenches had fallen into a deep sleep. The tears continued to fall uninhibited down her cheeks, collecting on the ground below her. She didn't know why she was feeling this weakness, but her heart seemed to crumble away as she watched the night sky. She didn't notice the other person moving up from behind her.

"What's the matter, Kara?" a friendly voice asked.

"Oh, Frenches! I'm sorry, I didn't know you were…"

"No, that's my bad. I didn't mean to sneak up on you. Are you alright?"

"Frenches, you know when I met you when I was on the road?"

"Yes…" he said hesitantly.

"And I told you I got lost from the people I was traveling with?"

"Yes…" he said again.

"Where are they, Frenches? Why did I ever leave my village? They're out there somewhere looking for me. They think bandits kidnapped me! They might even think I'm dead! How could I possibly know what they think? For all I know, they followed the bandit who kidnapped me killed them. They might be dead. Greedy bastards, I hope they all burn!"

She put her face down into her knees, and continued sobbing. Frenches put his arm around her.

"Hey," he said gently. "I'm sure your friends are ok. You aren't dead, are you? I'm sure your friends are fine too. Tell me about them. What are their names?"

Kara sniffled as she looked up at her friend taking a breath between sniffles.

"Sillac and Aemun. Their names are Sillac and Aemun."

"We'll find them then. We are the Black Fang. We have contacts everywhere, remember?"

"Right," said Kara, feeling somewhat comforted. "Thanks, Frenches."

"Of course."

She looked up to the stars once more. Frenches did the same. They stayed there for a minute, thinking about life, death, and the unavoidable facts of both. Kara leaned over and gave Frenches a hug before lying back down on her cot.

"Good night, Frenches."

"Good night, Kara," he replied, as he walked back over to his bedroll.

She smiled, for her heart cleared, even if only a little bit.

Chapter 44

Aemun was so excited that he could hardly sleep, even after Patrick and Jacob long since fallen asleep. Even his sarcasm and naturally depressed persona couldn't ruin a success like today's. As far as he was concerned, no power in the universe could stop him. He drifted in and out of sleep until the light of the morning came rushing in and woke his friends.

He availed himself of the spacious and elegant bathroom in their wing of the School's dormitory, washing up and changing into the robes of an acolyte. He looked in a full-body length mirror in the bathroom. He noticed that the weeks of traveling and walking every day had done wonders for his body physically. He didn't look anywhere near as scrawny, and his legs no longer looked stickly. He wasn't like Sillac, but his body definitely looked better. He took pride in that fact. As he walked out of into the dormitory common area, he found Jacob and Patrick already awake, dressed, and apparently waiting for something.

"Hey," he said casually.

"You aren't going to believe this, but I don't think we're going to have a chance to show you around," said Jacob. "Somebody came this morning and asked if I had heard of you. I said yeah, and he offered you a job in a mercenary company on the spot. Can you believe that? You must be some kind of talent, if people are already asking for you. Bah, I suck."

Patrick waved him off, saying, "Now he's just feeling sorry for himself because he doesn't study. Ignore him. I'll finish the story. The guy must know you, right?"

"Did I miss the part where you said his name?" asked Aemun.

"Oh, no, I think Jacob is just rude," said Patrick.

Jacob presented him with his middle finger.

"And quite unrefined, as well."

Aemun and Patrick both laughed at this, and Patrick continued when they calmed down.

"So, anyway, this Sacaen guy comes in with somebody about our age, both of them carry swords and looking deadly. The Sacaen guy does all of the talking, or so I'm told. I wasn't there. I only know what Jacob told me. He was there. Probably trying to flirt with the girls early in the morning."

Patrick clicked his tongue in mock disappointment.

"Come on Patrick," said Aemun. "Give me a name."

"Oh, yeah. The Sacaen guy, his name was Oji, and the…"

Understandably, the young mage's mouth dropped to the floor.

"WHO?"

"Shhh, man. Everybody else in this place is still asleep. Us mages like to sleep in," said Jacob.

"Who?" said Aemun, wanting to make sure that he hadn't misheard Patrick.

"Oji," Patrick replied, "but before you say anything else, I think you'll want to hear the other name. The younger one was introduced as Sillac."

Patrick cracked a huge grin, knowing that he had probably just made his friend's day. He was very shocked when his new friend didn't even show a hint of a smile.

"Well?" questioned Aemun. "Where in Elibe is he!" he smiled broadly.

Patrick laughed, and he led his friend down the hallways to the audience chamber. Patrick propped open the wooden door for him, and gestured inside. In the center of the large, rounded chamber stood two well-dressed swordsmen. Aemun's eye caught the eye of the younger one as the two figures turned around to see who the new arrival was. The swordsman grinned brightly. He walked over to his old friend, and shook his hand firmly. Sillac looked up into his friend's eyes. They hugged in a manly fashion and thumped each other's backs once before releasing the manly embrace. (yeah, yeah, I know, lame, but necessary)

"Where the hell have you been, you scrawny mage? When did you toughen up?" said Sillac, eyeing Aemun's new physique.

"Sometime in between now and when you ran off without me, chasing after a woman, you imbecile," said Aemun darkly.

The two locked eyes for a moment, then another, and then burst out laughing.

"Aemun, are you forgetting something," said a deep voice behind Sillac.

"Oji!" said Aemun. "It's been years! How are you?"

"Not too bad. We'll have plenty of time to talk though. After all, the Council just approved you and three other mages to join our newly formed mercenary company. We got those two outside, and one healer who came at their recommendation. And then you, of course."

Aemun smiled happily. He hadn't been in such a good mood since, well, ever. He was enjoying this new world, filled with travel and adventure, minus the travel. Being a mercenary seemed to be quite the exciting business. He thought about it, and a few years ago he would never have thought himself to be the type to even imagine being a mercenary, and yet here he was not only accepting, but inviting the concept! What a strange world he lived in, he thought to himself.


End file.
